


Agents of the Darkside.

by englishrose2011



Series: Tales of the Darkside [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU Agents of SHIELD & The Flash, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Attempted Sexual Assault, Central City, Dark side of SHIELD, Hurt Leonard Snart, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Prostitution, Vampire Phil Coulson, Vampires and werewolves are known, Violence, Werewolf Clint Barton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:10:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 35,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9482270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: Senior Agent and Elite Handler Phil Coulson was recruited into SHIELD to help in the fight back against things that went bump in the night, in the process he became an elite handler with a prize asset in the shape of Clint Barton, Hawkeye. But with the addition of inhumans, meta humans, he decides to increase his elite pool of agents, a search which brings him to Central City, and the future Agents of the Darkside of SHIELD.





	1. German Territory  Teutoburg Forest 9AD

**Author's Note:**

  * For [For my sister Eileen and for Antoinette for Christmas 2017](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=For+my+sister+Eileen+and+for+Antoinette+for+Christmas+2017).



> Thanks to my beta reader beradine for all her help, any errors are mine.

To every story there is a beginning and for one future Senior Agent of SHIELD and Elite handler it started back in 9AD.

German Territory

Teutoburg Forest 

The legion had entered the forest and due to the narrow muddle track, they were unable to travel in battle formation, but had to string out along its length with groups of camp followers breaking up the line of troops.

Tribune Marcus Carlius was worried because the Barbarians had been stalking them from the moment they entered the forest, and in his mind it was only a matter of time before they attacked.

At 49 he was a veteran of many battles he had already made plans for his retirement from the legion, a small farm near Rome, with slaves to work his fields, and a young wife to warm his bed. He had saved his money, paying into the funeral club, and holding a little back to pay his way, but the rest he had sent back to his brother for the farm.

Carlius pushed his dream to one side and concentrated on the present, the rain had started to come down in a torrent, it was hard to see through it, and it was only at the first thud and a cry of pain that he knew they were under attack.

Because of the narrowness of the track there were unable to form the Roman Turtle, a specialist defence formation against attack from arrows and javelins. His bowmen were unable to use their bows, because the bow string had become wet and slack. Holding up his heavy and waterlogged shield Carlius lead his men forward into the first wave of Barbarians, all round him, he heard screaming and yells of pain and battle as he slashed and stabbed at the attackers.

Cut off from the legionaries in front and behind him all they could do was fight their own personal battle and hope that Varus his commander was faring better and soon troops would be coming back down the track to help them.

Out of the murk and rain in front of him he saw the Legatus, Varus’s second in command, with a formation of Calvary, he knew that the Barbarians feared the mounted soldiers, but to his horror the Legatus tried to ride past him in blind panic.

When he tried to stop him, he received a crashing blow to the side of his helmet that send him to his knees as the Legatus almost rode over him in his haste to escape. The next instant the Calvary were gone, swallowed up into the murky light of the forest. Carlius was dragged back to his feet by one of his men, and all he could do was turning back to the enemy and try to deny them this small piece of land, by making them buy it dearly in the blood of their men.

The Barbarians melted back into the forest, just as the Roman’s burst into a large clearing, he quickly  ordered his men to make basic fortified camp, to try and beat the oncoming night. Large fires were lit to try and repel the night and with it the Barbarians, Carlius called his surviving Centurions to him, all of them showed the signs of heavy fighting, just as he did, but he could see on their faces a resigned look of men who knew they would soon die.

 

Rain continued through the night, and in the weak morning light, he started forward again with his men, keeping the wounded in the centre,  the forest was quiet, no legionaries from the group behind them had caught up, none of the one’s ahead had made their way back to them, he could almost believe they were the only people there.

0-0-0-0-0-0

When the attack came it was almost a relief, it was a brutal fight, and Carlius thrust and parried the swords and spears, blocking with his shield, then suddenly in front of him was a large Barbarian, the war axe can arching down and he just managed to block it.  The blow sent pain shooting through his arm and into his shoulder, the man brought the axe down on his shield again and again battering him to his knees. 

One of his men crashed into the Barbarian sending him staggering sideways so that the axe blow that would have severed his head just tore the shield from him. The enemy was now overwhelming them, pain seared through his left arm as he was slashed just managed to avoid the sword thrust from another Barbarian aimed at his chest. Spinning round Carlius blade severed the man’s head from his shoulder, he moved forward to try and help two of his legionnaires fighting off four men as others started to circle round them. He moved to protect their backs, a yell came too late and he was stabbed, looking down in shock as the javelin exploded through his body, he stumbled down onto this knees, and then nothing. 

When Carlius came round, it was dark, pain wracking his body, he tried to curl round the javelin wound, but he was chained to a rough post, one of many in a circle.  A large fire was burning in the centre, in the flickering light he saw the bloody bodies of his comrades, one man opposite him was screaming in agony as he was disembowel, his organs being scooped into the pot and held up to the night sky then thrown onto the fire by a blood stained shaman. The legionary’s screams were mercifully cut short as he was decapitated by the large axe welding Barbarian.

 

The next instant Carlius was surrounded by the Barbarians, hands grabbed him, and dragged him to the fire, he was kicked and spat on, his clothes ripped off his body, naked he was pinned on his back, and the axe man planted a foot on the wound. Carlius screamed and the world round him began to fade, then he was brought back conscious was water hit his face, and he heard the laughing and cheering as the axeman pissed on him.   

When the blood soaked shaman spoke to him was shocked to hear Latin, “Roman prepares to meet your gods,” the man paused “your legion is gone, your commander and his officers fell on their swords, and we have pained the forest with your blood. The Roman legion is no more; he grabbed Carlius head and twisted it round to see the heads of his men and friends hammered to the trunks of the trees, in the flickering light of the bonfire.

The shaman brought his knife down, carving into his flesh, across his ribs, thighs, grabbing his cock; he felt the ice cold kiss of iron on his inner thighs and against his balls.

But before he felt the bite of the blade, a voice called out, loud and clear and the shaman stopped, from where he lay Carlius saw the Barbarians turn as one looking towards the forest, and it was then he realized that everything had gone quiet, walking out of the forest was a woman, she was tall and slender, her head held high as if she was a goddess.  Her robes were blood red, and holding her hand was a young woman, her clothes rags.

The pain was making it hard to think straight, but he recognized her, it was the young woman, who had been attacked by three drunken legionnaires, he had rescued her, taking her to the house of one of the native chieftains. 

She spoke softly to the woman in red; the Barbarians were now dropping to their knees as she past, reaching out a hand to touch her robes as she walked past. 

The   woman in red knelt down, her face was pale and the skin smooth like marble her hand cupping his face was ice cold, her thumb stroking his jaw as she looked into his eyes.

The world round him seemed to stop and energy drained from his body, his limbs became heavy, then with  a strength that he would never had believed she pulled him up to hold him against her and then her teeth bit down into his throat, and she began to drink.


	2. The Recruitment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Nick Fury the time is now right to recruit a certain vampire into the SHIELD fold.

20th Century   
SHIELD had always been in the shadows, it had thrived in the shadows, the conspiracy nuts called them the Men in Black, and most of the alphabet agencies gave them a wide berth, until they needed them. They would take the glory and SHIELD would slither back into the darkness. 

Not alone in the field of Supernatural Investigation, they sometimes clashed with the Librarian, whose job is to searched for supernatural artefacts and return them to the Library, an uneasy truce existed between them that was barely honoured by SHIELD, who conceded it more of a show of good faith then an ironclad agreement. 

Since the 1960’s, SHIELD had faced another threat due to the emergence of Meta humans and inhuman, it had then started to expand its pool of agents under the authority of a handful of elite handlers, each taking about three to four outstanding assets.

Because of some of the unique people employed by SHIELD it soon became clear that the usual methods of physical fitness and psychological evaluation use for recruiting were not good enough, so SHIELD included a psychic evaluation as a way of getting to the true essence of their recruits and agents. 

Tarot card: The King of Swords

1990  
Thirty year old Agent Nick Fury took a set opposite Senior Agent Taylor, the woman was in her thirties, and she looked more like a lawyer than the head of the psychic department of SHIELD.

She looked at the spread of cards thoughtfully, and place one in front of him the King of Swords, and tapped it with a finger. “Your next recruit is a King of Swords, air element, professional, powerful, strong minded, logistical.” She placed the card on the file and pushed across the table in front of him, then added with a smile, “and a 1000 year old vampire with more kills than days you have lived,” she paused “you’re finding a full reading on him, including a psych report here. Oh, and by the way he was once a Librarian, so good luck”. 

Nick entered the tavern and looked round him in the gloom, no sign of the vampire, he had spent the best part of two weeks hunting the creature down and he was still out of luck. If it was feeding, then he was feeding smart because no drained bodies where showing up. As a matter of course he had already met with the Master Vampire of New Orleans, and the woman had drawn a blank. In fact, she seemed almost nervous of having a vampire that strong in her territory. She had muttered something about an elder, and then made her excuses and left. 

Nick was sitting on a stool at the bar and was looking into his whiskey glass as if that could answer all his questions when he was suddenly conscious of someone sat at his elbow; he looked up and studied the man in the mirror. He looked to be in his forties, he was dressed in a creased suit, the tie was at half mast, and the first two buttons of his shirt were opened. The newcomer signalled the bartender for a drink, and gave a small smile of satisfaction when the ice cold beverage was place in front of him; he took a long sip and gave a sigh of contentment. 

The man was pleasant looking with light brown receding hair, and Nick had had him pegged as an accountant, an accountant who was having a bad time with his client’s tax returns, if the way the man had greeted his drink had anything to go by. 

It was when the man turned that he caught a glint of silver, and Nick’s blood turned cold, he knew his vampires the old one’s could have a reflection, and hell they could eat and drink, mixing in really well with their prey, but only the really old ones eyes shone silver if the light caught them right. 

“Good evening Agent Fury,” the man’s voice was softly spoken, but then Nick guessed when you were the biggest predator in the city, you didn’t have to yell. 

“Phil Judson.” 

“Coulson,” the man corrected “Judson was in another life.”

“Yeah, right I heard you had been one of the Librarians.”

“The Librarian” Coulson said, “the post is now diluted by a team of so called Librarians, they even have a thief and a betrayer” there was a touch of disgust in his tone, which made Nick quickly correct what he was saying.

“My apologies, the Librarian, you collected, the spear of destiny, Pandora’s Box, the….”

“You wanted to speak to me or go over my resume.” Coulson cut him off, politely but firmly.” 

“SHIELD would like to recruit you.” 

“Right into a cell,” the man replied. 

“No, SHIELD had been recruiting supernatural since the 40’s. Now we know that you served in the Rangers with distinction during the war, and we know you were considered one of the best Librarians to hold that post, so now SHIELD are here to ask you to join them, a lot of things have been going bump in the night recently and its time we bumped back.

“Lizzy Taylor still reading the cards for you”.

“You know her.” 

Coulson didn’t answer, just smiled with a flash of fang, “tell me about SHIELD.” 

Fifteen years later  
Tarot card: The Page of Wands  
2005  
Nick was now Director, and Coulson was his friend, enforcer and elite handler, known as his good right eye, replacing the one that he had lost to a rather nasty magic slinger.

But long lived vampires could start to spiral downwards and it had been Jasper Sitwell, who had set the alarm bells ringing, concerning Coulson. The man was always immaculately dressed in his designer suits, but lately his shirts had begun to be shabby, the cuffs fraying. His suit was rumpled, and Dr Williamson was concerned that Coulson was entering the spiral, and Nick would be damned if the man whom he considered his friend was going to waste away. 

Lizzy Taylor brought in the four files that Nick had sent her to evaluate; she placed the Page of Wands on one file, tapped it once and then left with a nod of the head. 

Nick moved the card and saw the name “Clinton Francis Barton,” the man was a rogue werewolf, a master assassin who never missed and a grade one pain in the ass ever since he joined. So mind made up, he started to put Barton in Coulson’s way and was soon pleased with the result, Coulson perked up, and began to focus on the sniper in earnest

0-0-0-0-0-0

Clint had joined SHIELD when a one eyed man had made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. SHIELD had now become his home.

A werewolf he enjoyed his time under fur and to his delight he found that SHIELD had the most amazing runs, acres of land which they populated with only the tastiest of prey animals. In SHIELD, he didn’t have to hide his true nature to SHIELD, he could revel in it. 

Coming back from his run had just turned back into his human form and was reaching for his towel when he saw the vampire, Senior Agent Phil Coulson and mentally swore, he and all the other agents were well aware of who and what Coulson was and everyone worked to keep under the man’s radar. 

Just Coulson’s scent made his hackles rise, vampires and werewolves in the outside world hated each other. Stuck up vamps considered werewolves nothing more than educated mutts. Well, if Coulson wanted something he could just go fuck himself, there was no way he was going to go near the guy. 

0-0-0-0-0-0  
Two years later

Clint was enjoying a good night out, the beer was cold but Luke Short his handler was unusually quiet, it was a time to celebrate, he had worked hard to become one of SHIELD’s top assets, and proved to the Senior Agents that he was a lot more than just a carnie mutt, with a good aim. His promotion to level 5 had been a pleasant surprise since had worked so hard and long for that promotion, the one that got him ranked as a Specialist.

Draining this beer, Clint looked towards the bar and sure enough, there was the bane of his life Coulson, ever since he had joined SHIELD the man had been his shadow. Okay and he would only admit this when he was well and truly drunk, but Coulson had broken cover a couple of time to save his ass on a mission that his former handlers had screwed the pooch on, so he might owe the guy a little. 

Over the last two years he had got better at Coulson watching; after all it was only fair since the man was stalking him. He had only really met the Vampire once and that was in the office of Director Fury, he had never known really why he had been sent for, but Coulson was there. 

The vampire was wearing a creased and grubby suit with a faded tie, and scuffed shoes, and he looked as if he had the world on his shoulder. Fury had introduced them, and the moment they had shaken hands Coulson had seemed to perk up and within two weeks he was wearing immaculate suit, a different man almost. 

Now it looked as if someone had turned the clock back, Coulson looked like death warmed up.

Only two weeks ago the Vampire had been brought back from a mission in a critical condition he had been stabbed with a knife dipped in dead man’s blood. Clint would deny to his dying day that he had broken medical to check his condition. He would also deny cutting his arm and forcing the barely lucid vampire to feed from him. He was sure that Coulson was so jacked up on the good drugs that he wouldn’t remember a thing. Werewolf blood was richer than human blood, and it had been the kick start that Coulson had needed to survive. But now damn it, it looked as if the man was wasting away and only a couple of steps away from his one true death and that pissed him off, he hadn’t gone through all that for the vampire to die. 

Just then Jasper Sitwell joined them at the table “a present for you Barton.”

“Mission right, thanks Sitwell.” Clint drawled putting on his best hick’s accent as he looked at the folder that Sitwell had dropped in front of him.   
Luke ordered “read the damn file Francis,” and got the finger in return, but Clint picked it up all the same. 

Leaning back in his chair, he began to read, quickly turning out the other people around him, he couldn’t believe what he was reading because the more he read, the clearer it came that Coulson had been carefully directing his career, like some kind of fucking puppet master, removing people, some permanently who made bad calls on his missions and highlighting the ones that Coulson had taken executive oversight on, even going as far as to get his hands dirty.

Putting the folder down, Clint reached for his beer bottle only to find it empty, his eyes locked on Coulson, standing up, he patted his handler’s shoulders and headed straight for the vampire, when Luke started to get up, Sitwell hand clamped down on his wrist holding him down. 

Normally that move would have had Clint breathing down Sitwell’s neck senior agent or not. But this time Clint’s eyes were fixed on one person and one person only Phil Coulson.

Sitting down next to him at the bar, Clint decided to go for obnoxious and openly scented him, and he was surprised to find a surge of contentment swept over him.

“Scenting me mutt.” Coulson said.

Now normally that was enough to get Clint’s hackles up, but tonight he caught the affection behind the words, and wondered if it had always been there.   
“Yeah, Boss,” and this time with a smirk Clint leaned in closer, in the bar mirror he would see other people getting the hell out of the way in case this turned violent. Coulson’s scent was musky and peppered with a hot chilli and white chocolate, it was the most marvellous thing that he had ever smelt he settled back on his bar stool contented, until the edge of sickness soured it. 

Coulson condition was his fault, he hadn’t understood, he had given him his blood to save his life not doom him. It was only on the last page of the file that he had seen the medical report and he had finally understood. A vampire that fed from a werewolf was bonded to them, if the rite was completed, if not the vampire was left in a state of limbo which could be fatal.

That was why Coulson had been getting more and more obvious with his stalking over the last couple of days, he was drawn to him, he had to complete the bond or it would kill him. Only Coulson was fighting it, he could have come to him mob handed and taken the bond bite, as an elder, Coulson would have move too fast for even him to see, let alone fight him off. But instead the stupid bastard had refused to talk to him about it.  
.   
It was then he saw Morrison and his security team coming through the door, turning back towards his table he was in time to see Sitwell pocketing his cell phone and he knew that things were coming ahead.

Morrison was respectful when he spoke to Coulson but the fact that he and this team were decked out in anti-vampire armour spoke volumes. “Agent Coulson, Director Fury wants you to come to his office now sir.”

Resigned Coulson laid his glass down, gave a nod to Clint and started towards them, he saw the slump in the shoulders, and something snapped inside of him as suddenly he knew what was going to happen. A containment cell and drugs to keep the Vampire subdued while he lost his mind and his body finally closed down. 

The werewolf in him broke out, Clint the man might not know what to do, but the wolf in him knew what was needed. 

He started to change into his hybrid form before he knew what was happening to his body cracked and stretched as bones and muscle changed, long talons erupted from his hands, fangs dropped down in his jaw. When he moved it was with the effortless bound of a werewolf he was across the room in two strides. 

Coulson spun round, his eyes widening, but he held his ground while the others backed away, the next bound Clint was in front of him, reaching out his clawed hand to wrap it round the vampire’s waist, and pulled him close. Clint looked deep into Coulson’s eyes and saw the silver flashes in them, as he nuzzled his hair and neck. Growling with pleasure as the vampire’s fingers dug into the muscles of his arms as he tried to pull him even closer. 

The whole of Coulson’s eyes were now silver, “are you sure,” he spoke carefully round the long fangs, his whole body shaking with need. 

Clint nodded and bared his throat, and Coulson bit down, at that moment Clint howled, the bar mirror and the windows shattered, as the vampire pulled away from his neck, Clint held him tightly and then bit down on Coulson’s shoulder, his razor sharp teeth cutting through the suit and the shirt, to the cold flesh below. The bond between vampire and werewolf was sealed.


	3. Central City 1996

Central City 

Tarot Cards: The King of Swords and the Happy Squirrel (the arsonist’s card.) 

1996

Iron Heights

The doors of the prison closed behind Mick Rory, he had just finished his first stretch as an adult, counting away the days to his release. The day was cold and he tugged the collar of his jacket up round his ears, he had places to go. 

He had met a human hybrid Ice Dragon by the name of Leonard Snart in Juvie and had ended up saving his life. Due to their true nature his as a shape shifting full Fire Dragon and Snart’s ice, they ended up sharing a cell and a friendship had begun. 

Now Snart was 19 years old and Mick was looking to link up with him, he was under no illusion, Snart has the brains to plan, and he was quiet happy to act as his back up, just like he had done in Juvie, one thing he was sure if Snart had planned that last job he wouldn’t have done them. 

It hadn’t been easy, but he knew his way round the underbelly of Central City, and one thing was certain Len would be very territorial, so he didn’t have to worry about him leaving the city. 

Finally, he had rattled the right cage and got some leads and one of them sent him to the most rundown part of the city, it was 2.00 am in the morning, and the street was still buzzing with music booming from the clubs and bars. He stepped over a drunk and headed towards the most promising of the bars.

It was then he heard the fight in the alleyway, as he got level with it, he recognised one of the voices, and through the gloom he was in time to see Len Snart bring his elbow into the face of one of the men trying to pin him to the wall, and getting a fist to the face that snapped his head back hard so it thudded against the wall, his knees buckling, as he was stunned by the impact.

One of the men caught Len by the front of his shirt and pulled him up, Len spat in his face, and got a punch to the stomach in return.

“Fuck you Snart,” the man growled “we were going to make it good for you, but you had to smart mouth off at us, “hold him,” and the man clawed at the snap on Len’s jeans, “now we are going to make you scream,” at the Len began to struggle violently. One of the men swore and backhanded him across the face, clutching his bleeding hand to his chest, “the bastard bit me.”

Mick didn’t even remember moving, or feeling the claws bursting through his fingertips or the fangs through his gums, as he changed, into his half dragon form. All there was then was screaming and then he was facing his friend over the disembowel bodies of his attackers. 

He reached out a bloody clawed hand and cupped the back of Len’s head and drew him close, trilling softly to him, gathering him close as he lead him away from the carnage. 

Because he was a fire dragon people would look at his muscles in his human form, and see him looking into the flame of his lighter a little too long and would start deducting points off his IQ, more fool them. He was willing to let them it always paid to be underestimated. But he knew his limitations, Len, Mick knew would lead because it was his Swords nature, and the guy was a brilliant planner and a logistical marvel, he saw his job in the partnership as protecting Len’s back. 

His apartment was on the edge of the supernatural ghetto in Central City, and the landlord come caretaker was an elderly ghoul who charged a fair rent and didn’t mind what he did as long as he didn’t burn the place down. 

When he opened the door of his home to Len for the first time, he had time to prepare it, he wanted his partner to accept this as his home, he understood about Len’s human sister, and the bond the siblings shared, so he had two bedrooms, one with a double, and the other with a single, personally he had seen closets bigger but he was sure Lisa Snart would like it. The kitchen had a big meat safe, containing some large horse steaks waiting for this moment to be served. 

Mick locked the door behind them and got his first good look at Len, for the moment he tried to look past the injured from the fight and what he saw brought a low growl from him. Len was pale and had lost weight he couldn’t afford to lose, and he could see faint tremors running through him. 

Crossing to the meat safe, Mick opened it and brought out a raw steak, cooked it quickly in the pan and then handed it on a plate to him, he understood how quickly a hybrid human dragon could burn through the calories, and if they didn’t feed enough they would start to burn their own bodies reserve . 

Len had looked at the food then up at him, his face shut off, and Mick had realized that his friend was waiting for him to name his price. 

“It’s for you Lenny no price, eat,” then he turned his back and began to make some coffee.

There was a long silence and then he heard him eating, Len had accepted food from his hand and something inside of Mick began to ease. Not many people would willingly turn their backs on Leonard Snart, well not twice. There was a fire in him that burned as brightly as with Mick, but it was tempered with coldness and it was this balance that made him so dangerous. 

Turning back with the coffee mugs, Mick placed them on the small table, and fished another steak from the fridge, there was no hesitation it didn’t matter that it had been earmarked for his breakfast, and he could always get another one. Len was here now and the food would keep him here, while they talked. He watched as his friend licked the watered down blood off his fingers after he polished off the second steak. 

“Long time Len.” 

“Mick,” he paused and there was that patent Snart smirk “you just get out, or did you bust out?” 

As he heard him speak, Mick’s stomach sank, there was that drawl, which he remembered so well, and which he had learned to be weary of. It along with the smart mouthed remarks and the terrible puns were a public mask of Leonard Snart. 

Len was very intelligent, and had an uncanny ability to time things in his head to the last second, no one could plan like he could, his plans were fucking work of art and the wardens at Juvie never busted any of his heists.

But there was a flip side to every coin, and in Len it was the fact that his father had beaten and abused him so badly that he was a walking minefield of distrust, violent triggers, tragically damaged by his own father nearly to the point of destruction. But Len was strong and had survived and Mick had vowed to by his dragon dynasty to protect him and never leave his side. 

Mick brought himself back to the present, “Just got out, thought we might make good on some of your plans.” 

Len cocked his head to one side, “I am having to run some jobs for the old man, I do that to keeps him happy, if he’s happy he don’t go looking for us. 

“Lisa,” 

“Yeah, she’s still in school and doing well, skating a few more years and she could get a shot at the Olympics,” he could hear the pride in Len’s voice.

“That’s good to hear.” Mick said as he filled his friend’s mug with more coffee. At the same time as he studied him, it looked like all the money Len made went to Lisa, and he was making up the slack by selling himself on the street. Well, that was going to stop; tomorrow he was going to get Len tested, although with his Dragon DNA the odds were very remote that he could catch anything. Then he was going to move the brother and sister into his apartment, and if Lewis Snart came looking the man was going to be BBQ. 

The third steak was shared, and when Mick tugged Len gently into the bedroom, drowsy with food he went willingly, stretching out fully clothed on the bed. Mick paused to tug off the younger man’s combat boots, then climbed onto the bed, opened his arms and Len moved into them, trusting him to care for him. Treating this as the precious gift it was, he settled them both down, gently rubbing his hand over Len’s back so that he slipped into sleep. The tension that had been running through Mick was finally easing; he had found Len now he was content. The younger man was his mate, sexually they might never mate, and Len was too damaged at the moment for that. But that didn’t matter, they were mated with a connection of fire and ice that was more intense than sex.

The next morning he had waken to see Len perched on the edge of the footboard at the bottom of the bed, he gave a shiver, as he felt the temperature go down, there was frost coating the chair, the dresser and the blanket. Len’s skin now had an icy blue tint to it, and there was blue energy pulsing through his fingers, tremors running through him. Mick slowly sat up, swinging his legs off the bed, “you okay buddy.” 

He waited for Len to speak, when he didn’t he go up, “I am making breakfast, want some,” Len gave a huff and followed him out. Mick tried not to sigh when he saw the frost decorating the windows. It was rare for the younger man to lose control of his powers, but even so this display was only minor, considering what he had done to one of the kids in juvie, they had had to chisel the kid out of his cell. 

Mick cooked up the food and piled Len’s plate, and watched as he dug in, “your old man knows about the…” 

“Fucking, yeah, his old friends have been fucking me since they started to take an interest in Lisa, couldn’t let them do that so sucked a few of them off, let them fuck me,” breaking off, he pushed up his sleeve and showed off the track lines on his arm.

“You don’t do drugs Lenny.” Mick said forcefully, Len look relieved that he had been believed. 

“His friends don’t what to get their cocks frozen off,” his laugh was off centre “so they pump me full of Kg97 supresses the ice, got to let the ice go.” 

“Yeah buddy got to let the ice go.” Mick said thoughtfully as he looked round the room.


	4. SHIELD Present Day

SHIELD

The Present 

The increase in Meta Humans and Inhuman had led to a push to increase the number of agents. Director Fury was surprised when Coulson has requested to increase his prime assets by a further two; the man was known to be very picky.

Lizzy Taylor has again produced her files, only two this time, which had caused Coulson to raise an eyebrow at her, either SHIELD was running out potential elite asset candidates or Taylor had just two people in mind. He saw the first file and the card of the Happy Squirrel, a humorous looking card, but whose mirror imaged was dark and troubling it was called the arsonists card, on the other file rested the King of Swords. One thing was for certain, this recruitment was going to be a challenge. 

Phil settled down to read their files and access any other data that SHIELD had on the two men via the Central City Police Department. 

The files made interesting reading, due to later criminal convictions and in the case of one of the men the severity of his original crime their juvie records were still accessible.

In Juvie, Leonard Snart had been attacked by a group of kids, Mick Rory had saved his life, and in doing so they had unknowingly started an infamous partnership. 

Phil paused to take a sip of his tea, placing his mug down on the desk, ignoring the legend inscribed on it, “vampire bats do it upside down,” a present from his wayward werewolf asset, he turned back to the file. 

After Juvie, the young men had begun to work together as a team. He had spent hours reading the reports for Snart's heists and watching any surveillance footage, the more he read and watched the more Phil was impressed.

Snart's ability to head a crew when he was in his early twenties was impressive. The man was ruthless, violent and feral, almost with a cold emotionless persona. They had been arrested, and Phil could see a clear pattern, when it happened it was usually when Snart and Rory were working as part of another gang, early in their careers. Also a common factor was Lewis Edward Snart a dirty cop and father of Leonard and Lisa Snart. The man was bad news all round, and seemed to try and leach off his son with one hand while throwing him under the bus with the other. Since Lewis had gone down for a long stretch, Snart had become an almost unstoppable force with Rory at his side. That had been until a year ago. 

Mick Rory had dropped out of sight twelve months ago after the dragon in his human form had been badly burned during a heist gone wrong, due to one of the crew panicking. There was some footage of it, which was transmitted and recorded off site, it showed the flames and parts of the ceiling crashing down, the last image seen through the smoke before the camera feed died was Rory partly transformed with his wings flared out and protectively cocooning Snart. 

The last verified sighting of Rory had been when Snart had flagged down an ambulance, loaded his partner on board and then disappeared into the night. Twenty four hours later Rory had vanished from the local burns unit, and had not been seen since. So tracking them down wasn’t going to be easy, so he had decided to concentrate on Leonard Snart, he was territorial having been born and bred in Central City. He was known to recruit a crew local to Central City or Keystone; he pulled off his heists with surgical position, paid them off and moved on. If a member of the crew went off script then Snart took them out with a cold blooded ruthlessness that Coulson could appreciate. 

By using the Black Hat Hackers of SHIELD, he had managed to get a few possible hits on Rory. As a fire dragon Mick Rory was considered by the CCPDas loose cannon, a crazy pyromaniac, who was good enough only to be the muscle for Snart. But Phil reads it differently the fact the police only suspected Rory of a number of arson attacks, and the sophisticated accelerants used, confirmed Phil’s view that Rory intelligence was vastly underestimated by the police. But the pyromania still made him unpredictable. 

But he was confident that if he located Snart he could flush out Rory then it would only be a matter of recruiting them, which was a hurdle he would worry about when he got there. 

But trying to locate Snart in Central City had proved difficult.

The hackers had been running facial recognition software for any sign of Snart, but so far had failed to locate him, so Clint Barton has tapped into his mercenary contacts to try and locate the man. 

Clint came into his handlers office, waited for him to acknowledge him, “okay Barton what do you have for me,” Phil Coulson said

“Snart has been located, he is due to meet with a mutual old friend of ours, an arms dealer name of Basil Flower, tomorrow, it seems he has a specialist weapon that Snart wants.” 

“Any information on the weapon.” 

“No Sir.” 

“And Mick Rory?”

“Seems that the two of them are working independently at the moment, but you can guarantee that where Snart is Rory isn’t going to be that far away.”

Phil nodded, getting to his feet, as he ordered “Wheels up in 4O agent, I want us in Central by this evening.” 

0-0-0-0-0-0  
24 hours later

Central City 

It was 3.00 o’clock in the morning, Clint found himself lying on the roof of a four story run down office block in the warehouse district of Central City, looking down the scope of his sniper rifle into the large open window of the warehouse opposite. 

“Snarts just arrived Sir”, Clint told his handler over the comm, as he matched the ID photo from the CCPD file in his head with the man who had just entered the warehouse. Snart was older than him, with close cut hair, lean build, good looking, wearing a black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, with a black turtleneck and combat boots, he moved with the grace of an apex predator. 

The bugs he had planted earlier easily picked up the conversation, he heard Basil offer Snart something called a heat gun, but Snart bypassed it , dismissing it with “I want to slow things down, not heat them up,” and continued to the next box and a cold gun. Clint couldn’t help but shaking his head, when Snart drawled “the guns are state of the art who else knows you took them“in the cold monotone precise tone that Clint was beginning to identify with the man. 

But Basil keen to make the sale ignored the warning signs and sealed his fate as he quickly confirmed that he was the only one, it was then there was a very distinct whirling sound as something was charged up. Snart turned towards him “Just me then, sorry pal,” and he aimed the cold gun at the arms dealer, Basil backed up, but was too late, Snart pulled the trigger, he was frozen to death before he could run. Snart turned away from the body and was just about to leave when he paused, then closing the briefcase containing the heat gun and took it with him without a backward glance.

It was then Clint heard a heavy beating sound, and rolled on his back just in time to see something large swooping out to the night sky, with its black and deep scarlet coloring it had blended into the darkness. He just managed to roll out of the way as the creatures talons carved deep scores into the roof, where he had been laying, then with a massive down beat of its wing gained height again and was gone. 

Clint’s heart was his mouth that had been too close, that the giant fucking flying lizard had to have been Rory, but the two men were no longer working together, so what the hell was happening, 

0-0-0-0-00-0

By morning the Central City police where all over the murder scene in the warehouse the next day, but came away none the wiser, as to how in the middle of the summer could a man freeze to death. 

Coulson hand contacted the hackers and one of them had located the origins of the missing heat and cold gun. They had started with the premise that it was an experimental weapon and since Stark had no knowledge of it, and Phil had taken pleasure in pissing the man off over it, that had limited the Labs that could have created the weapon. They ruled out the military, SHIELD was too well embedded in those organizations; the located of Central City pointed the finger at STAR Labs. Given that the Lab had been in an uproar since the death of Harrison Wells, it was more than likely that the guns had been stolen during that time. A hack had confirmed the theft, and a cyber patch had covered the crime up, so that if anyone at STAR Labs did a computer search the guns were technically still in secure storage. This had left STAR Labs none the wiser. 

He was interested in to see what plans Snart had for the guns, the SHIELD hackers continued running the face recognition 24/7 to try and locate the man again while keeping him appraised of the situation.


	5. Central City Museum

Three days later

Central City Museum

Leonard Snart kept a low profile; SHIELD finally got a hit as he approached Central City Museum, and the newly arrivedKahndaq Dynasty Diamond exhibition. Phil had read Snart’s file and knew that the man didn’t like to leave unfinished business, since he had already made one unsuccessful attempt on the diamond when it was in transit. He had been sure that Snart might try again; the man didn’t like loose ends. 

Clint was riding shotgun in their car, the information from the hacked security cameras relaying pictures to his tablet.

“He’s just entering the Museum Sir.” On the screen Clint could see Snart heading towards the museum shop, he was dressed in a long coat, the same black turtleneck, jeans and combat boots from before. As Clint watched, he saw Snart speak briefly to the woman at the information counter, purchasing a ticket. “Looks like he’s going to take the tour, he’s timed it so he’s got in just as it started.”

Pulling up in front of the Museum, Coulson got out, as Clint slipped into the driving seat, watching as the older man touched a hand to his ear checking his comm. 

Looking at the tablet again Clint said “On your left as you go in, there’s a café should give you a clear line of sight on the tour.” 

Phil nodded, crossing the road and taking the steps up to the Museum two at a time and soon disappeared from view. 

In the car Clint watched his handler appear on the camera feed, it was total rubbish to say that vampires couldn’t appear in the mirrors or film, they could, it was just one of many old wives tales that the humans clung to about the supernatural, which vamps like Coulson exploited.

The tour had already gone, the odds of Snart attempting anything that day was very low, the man was a planner and would be working with a team when he did, so Phil spent time in the Museum shop and looking at the nearest galleries, as Clint kept him updated. 

Thirty minutes later, Snart and the tour returned back to the start point, and Clint watched, tracking Snart as through the Museum security cameras as he began a leisurely stroll round the museum, walking through the glass walled galleries, never pausing too long in front of any one exhibit. After circling round almost aimlessly, he made his way back to the front of the museum again and the café. He purchased an expensive coffee, taking a seat and looked no different than any of the other visitors, as he leafed through a museum guide. 

Phil already spent time in the Museum shop and then moved onto the Café, ordering and taking a seat he took a sip of his own coffee and listened to Clint in his ear as the younger man kept up a humorous dialogue on with people as they entered and left the café. 

Suddenly he broke off, “Head’s up Boss, Snart’s on the move.” Clint warned as Phil waited patiently for him to continue, then adding “he’s buying another ticket, looks like he’s going round again.” 

Following suit, Phil drained his coffee and crossing to the information counter brought a ticket just as the tour started and he fell in step with them. He placed himself to the back of the tour group, making sure to always keep a group of people between him and Snart. The guide was a rather matronly woman, a volunteer who enthusiastically began to tell the group about the local history of Central City and in particular about BovineMcFeely and the role he played in its founding. 

Bovine had been an idiot Phil mused, who got lucky, he remembered him all too well, now if they only knew the real reason that he got that name and it had nothing to do with cattle ranching. He allowed himself a ghost of a smile as he imaged their shocked faces. 

Finally, they approached the diamond, it was being displayed in a pyramid display case and the guide joked about them about getting too close and setting off the alarm. Through the glass he could see Snart on the opposite side of the diamond, offering a kid some gum, for a split second their eyes met through the glass. Snart then looked back down at the diamond, and turned on his heels and followed the guide towards the next display. Phil followed, allowing some of the other visitors to move in between them again, noting how Snart kept to the side of the group, for all his attention appeared to be on the guide and the exhibits, and he could see him checking out the security systems, the slight subtle turning of the head. Keeping back so not to crowd Snart was a calculated risk, he needed to be close enough for the man to get use to him on a subconscious level, but not that close that he would be caging the man in, because that could trigger a violent fight or flight reaction that wouldn’t end well.

Just as Snart was leaving the tour, heading towards the exit, the local police got involved a plain clothes officer was yelling at Snart to stop, like that was going to happen any time soon, as Snart took to his heels. 

Phil swore under his breath as he barked for Clint to take the lead on Snart, as he found himself struggling through panicking members of the public as the security doors dropped into lockdown mode, but by then it was all too late Snart had escaped the museum. 

0-0-0-0

Flinging the tablet down onto the driver’s seat, Clint started after Snart, just as the man came flying down the steps of the museum, and into the street vaulting onto the hood of a taxi, sliding across it, dropping to one knee, then back on his feet again in the middle of the road. Police cars headed towards him trying to cut him off, but at that moment he pulled the ice gun from under his coat and fired icing up the road, sending the cars spinning like tops. 

The police were yelling at him to stop, but Snart keep going joining the people on the sidewalk, trying to lose himself in the crowds pushing people out of his way , suddenly seeing that he was about to be cut off, he turn to enter a theatre taking the steps two at a time to the front entrance.

Clint was close as he could get on his heels, when over the comm, he heard Coulson ordering him to fall back and circle round the theatre, as he felt a rush of air buffeting him as Coulson ran past him as his handler tapped into his vampire speed. He was just turning away from the front door when he was suddenly almost thrown off his feet by another violent displacement of air, Clint managed to grab the rails, just keeping his balance, but other people were not so lucky and ended up falling down the steps and landing sprawled on the sidewalk. 

0-0-0-0-0

Inside the Theatre

Phil was already in the foyer when the police officer from the museum arrived, and the place was icing up quickly as the gunfight developed. Phil took refuge behind one of the main pillars to watch the fight and bide his time. 

Just then the newly minted vigilante the Streak arrive on the scene almost on his heels, and that upped the stakes, as Snart turned his attention to trying to nail the man before the Meta could get to him. 

Each time the Streak made an attempt to get to him Snart turned his attention to the civilians, forcing them to break off his attack to move them out of the way, allowing Snart to get a few hits in with the cold gun. When he did it proved what he had said in the warehouse the Streak staggered and slowed, interesting? 

It was then he saw the police officer from the street, the one that had started the whole fiasco when he had yelled at Snart at the Museum, idiot, Phil snarled. Any fool would know that Snart was not going to steal the diamond there and the best course of action was to trail the man and set a trap. But now the idiot had to try and take him in.

 

Phil lunged forward at vampire super speed and managed to knock the police officers gun to one side, so that the bullet that would have hit Snart in the chest clipped his shoulder. Snart staggered, but the person that paid the price wasn’t the cop it was an usher who tried to play the hero and stop the wounded criminal, Snart iced him without breaking stride.

Not bothering to stop, Phil crashed through the rear fire doors of the theatre as Clint over the comm warned him that the police where surrounding the area. Just then a dark shadow eclipsed the light and looking up, he saw a massive body, long neck and thick leathery wings fly over him. Clint’s commentary about the police was cut off in a torrent of obscenity as a roar drowned out all the background noise, then screams. 

“Barton.”

“Still here Boss. You’re not going to believe this, a fucking giant …..” 

“Dragon,” Phil added.

“Yeah Boss it had to be Rory again. Are we sure these guys aren’t working together.” 

“Barton get the car, I want the CCTV footage up by the time I get back to you.” 

0-0-0-0-0

Once back at the car Clint contracted control, and was just downloading the footage when Coulson slide into the driver’s seat of the car. 

“No sound on this, but you need to see this.” 

Snart came out of the back of the theatre, the way he was running he was hurt, the cold gun was still in his good hand, something made him turn, and then he was snatched up in the air, by large talons, and a blast of fire ploughed the area burning anything that got in its way. 

“Mick Rory.” 

Clint nodded “that’s what I thought, but I would give you good odds that Snart didn’t know he was there. You know Boss, I think that Rory is doing what we are stalking Leonard Snart, because by the look on his face he didn’t know what the hell was happening.”

Phil was thoughtful, “It would make our job easier if they were together again, now Snart is good, very good, an excellent prospect for SHIELD” he mused. “I am sure that Snart will return for the diamond sometime soon, and this time he’ll bring more fire power with him.” 

“Heat and Ice.” 

Phil nodded, “him and Rory together. But you know what Barton, it was interesting to see how the cold gun, allowed him to stand up to the Streak, that guns an equalizer.” 

“I think he calls himself the Flash now,” Clint couldn’t help chuckling, and then added quickly, “sorry Boss it just makes him sound like a pervert with a raincoat.” But Clint’s grin got broader as Phil allowed himself to enjoy the moment.

“Flash or Streak Clint,” he gave a small sigh at the names and allowed himself the luxury of using Barton’s first name. “I do think that SHIELD R&D will be interested in the fact that the cold had such a slowing down effect on him, and I do think that if Snart goes after the diamond then such determination should be rewarded.”

0-0-0-0-0

Over the outskirts of Central City 

Mick Rory was pissed off at Len, the stubborn ice dragon didn’t know what was good for him so he had decided to come back to Central City to be with him, but before he could make contact he began to hear the word on the grapevine that someone was looking for Len and it was some kind of big bad. 

First, it had been the sniper on the warehouse roof, he had missed him when he had dived down, but it was enough to make the man leave his nest, and he had seen Len get away clear none the wiser. So he had kept in the shadows, the moment he knew that Len had missed the score at the security van, it was a dead cert that he would try again. 

Which had led him to this moment, flying towards the outskirts of Central City with Len in his talons, at least his partner had the sense to stop struggling, the lizard part of his brain had already catalogued the strong scent of blood, he had to land soon and get Len to a doctor. 

He glided in and at the last moment allowed Len to drop, he heard a cry of pain, but then he was down, immediately he changed into his human form, and rushed to his partner. Len was laid on his side, a strange gun in his hand, whirling as it charged up. 

“Hi Boss.” Mick gave him a grin, watching Len carefully as he closed the distance between them, keeping his hands clear of his sides. He was all too aware of how Len disliked being touched, and he had to duck more than once in the past, and he had taken more than one hit for grabbing him. A violently abusive father had scarred more than Len’s body, and he counted himself as privileged to be allowed as close to Len as he was.

Adding “Sorry about that, but I had to get you out of there fast.” Mick gave a mental sign of relief as he saw the gun lower, and Len reach a hand out, there was a slight flinch as he took it, but Len hadn’t pulled away. He knew that once he had Len tucked close again and the other man allowed himself to trust again, then he would be able to keep him protected.


	6. Central City

Central City 

 

Over a meal in the hotel room, Clint listened as Phil outlined his plans for Snart and Rory, he had no plans to curb their heists, and Snart’s six month pattern was perfect for allowing the two men to work on SHIELD sanctioned jobs, now came the hard part of actually recruiting them. 

 

Only when the business of the day was behind them did Clint kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jacket and climbed onto the bed, tugging the pillows up to support his back and head as he sat against the headboard, he watched Phil remove his jacket and laid it and his tie over the back of a chair. The vampire paused at the side of the bed; his eyes showing the first flickering of his true self, Clint patted the bed.

 

“You don’t have to do this Agent Barton, there is no……”

 

“Phil were off the clock, and you need to feed, now logistics have screwed up the supplies, so either you’re going to have to go out or you can take what I am offering you. “

 

“You…”

 

“I know, damn it Phil,” Clint exhaled slowly, and then more gently continued, “I know Phil, I know.”

 

Clint had learned early on that Phil didn’t like to take his blood from the throat when he fed, too many dark memories, but from the wrist or the inner elbow. He watched as Phil, undid the top buttons of his shirt, and then kicked off his shoes before joining him on the bed.

 

Carefully, Clint wrapped his arm round him and pulled the vampire against him, positioning him in the comfortable place they had found months ago. Clint petted the back of Phil’s head and neck and gave a harsh in pull of breath as the sharp fangs penetrated his flesh. Werewolf blood was much richer than human blood, and a vampire only needed a small amount of it. But outside of SHIELD it would have been almost impossible for a vampire to feed from a willing werewolf as the two were normally mortal enemies.

 

Once this mission was over Clint was going to ask Coulson for a field trip, that was the thing he liked about the Dark Side of SHIELD, they allowed field trips, his usually were freelance wet work, just like Phil got to exercise his vampire side on some wet jobs they did, it helped burn off the twitches, the itch under the skin that could only be irradiated by being true to yourself. Truth be told he was convinced that they both needed some down time after this one; maybe they could bring their two new assets with them.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

The next morning 

Clint discussed the case with Coulson over breakfast, they needed to locate Snart as quickly as possible. Clint’s old Merc friends pointed him towards a bar called the Saints and Sinners, it was the kind of bar which attracted a certain type of clientele.

Clint had known these kinds of dives since he was 15, he kept his ears open, had a few beers, played a few games of pool and then left, it was no good pressing for information too soon . The fourth night he dropped a hint about looking for a crew to work with and dropped Snart’s name, and left his burner number as he walked out he saw the bartender picking up the phone.

Twenty four hours later his burner phone rang the voice on the other end he recognized from the warehouse, the cold monotone drawl, pure Central City. It gave a place, a time, and the phone went dead.

Looking across at this handler, “Contact had been made Sir.”

0-0-0-0-0-0

Clint had met a lot of people in his time as a mercenary and Snart was ice cold, well suited to the cold gun he carried, the man was an exceptional planner by all accounts, and as the plan was unfolded in front of him, Clint was impressed.  As the other crew members left, he was called back, as he turned to Snart he found himself looking down the barrel of an automatic, “now why are you here werewolf,” the smile was icy.

“You think that will stop me Snart.” Clint allowed himself to partly change to his hybrid form; Snart might be a hybrid dragon, but his reactions although faster than a normal human, lagged behind that of a werewolf.  Behind him, he heard a snarl gruff and deep throated, he turned his head and saw Mick Rory, the man was in his own partly transformed state, his throat and jaw was glowing a deep red, and smoke was swirling from the corner of his mouth, his fingers sported large talons, as he cradled the heat gun in his arms.

“Mick Rory.” Clint acknowledged the man, and then “Old friend’s reunion,” he added.

“Issues happen,” Snart drawled, “they get resolved, he nodded towards the heat gun. Mick remembered where he saw you.” Snart paused “a certain roof top.”

Clint swore under his breath, as he slowly raised his hands hoping that his handler would have  better luck with Lisa Snart when his disappearance triggered their Plan B.

0-0-0-0-0

Peggy Fleming Ice Skating Rink, Central City.

Lisa Snart was intelligent, but damaged, but it could have been a lot worse, her beloved older brother by 12 years Lenny had protected her from their father, getting in between her and his fists, broken bottles, and baseball bats. Len had multiple scars and broken bones to show for his protection, along with the beatings he had taken when their father had just beat on him for the sake of venting his frustration on the world in general. When he was old enough, their father had been sent to prison, Lenny had become her legal guardian and taken her away with him, to live with Mick Rory, while he had put her through school and skating.

The apartment had been small, but she had her own room, and Mick had a protective streak a mile wide where her brother was concerned.

Now Mick was dangerous, there was no getting away from that , but then so was Len, but for all that Mick was a pyromaniac fire breathing dragon she trusted him, she had seen the gentle way that he touched Lenny, mindful of the many triggers her older brother had, of course that hadn’t stopped her, all five foot two of her looking up at all six foot two of human form dragon and give him the shovel talk about what she would do if he ever touched Lenny the way he didn’t like or made him do something he didn’t want to do. Most men would have laughed in her face this slip of a girl up in his face, but Mick had taken it seriously, and she had believed him, when he had told her that dragons mated for life and that Len was his mate.

At 22 years, her skating career was over due to a horrific accident but that didn’t mean that she didn’t like to put her skates on to help with some of the under tens when she had time, and the rink did bring back happy memories.

So when she saw the man take a seat opposite her as she bent to remove her ice skates, she allowed her gut feeling act as her guide.

He was an older man, with receding brown hair, and dressed in a black suit with a white dress shirt and black tie, he reminded her of…………senior family enforcer, his smile was pleasant one designed to put her at ease, well it wasn’t working, but she could see that he was dangerous, it was something he, her brother and Mick wore like a second skin.

Glancing at his hands, she saw the gun callouses, she looked up and saw the amusement in his eyes, and tightened the hold on her skate ready to use it as a weapon. “What do you want mister?”

“No need to do that, Miss Snart I just want to pass a message to your brother, I would like to meet him at 9.00 pm Friday night at   Saints and Sinners.”

“He doesn’t do family work.” Lisa put in.

“I have a proposition that he might find of interest, which is family free.”  Then with a nod he got up and left.


	7. Saint and Sinners

 

Clint had arrived with Rory, and been escorted to a back booth, and currently had a gun pressed against his side.

  

Rory ordered gruffly, “Keep your hand on the table, this goes off okay, you get to walk away mutt, this goes south and that vamp of yours makes a move on Len and I’ll pull the trigger, silver bullets every one of them,” he warned. The grin Rory gave him had way too many teeth to be natural, and he tapped his nose, “could smell you and the vamp at the museum, you think you were the only one there playing back up.”

 

Clint slowly reached for his whiskey and took a drink, hell if they survived the recruitment he could really get to like these guys.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Phil entered and made his way over to sit by Leonard Snart at the bar, “Mr Snart?”

 

“Vampire,”

“Very perceptive of you, I believe that we have business to discuss.”

 

“Now, why would I want to do that, Fed.”

 

“Because of the Streak and his hero squad, I can offer you immunity from prison, in return for working for me? Phil said.

 

Snart looked at him levelly, “So Fed how much pull do you have?”

 

“SHIELD.”  One word and he saw the spark of recognition in Snart’s eyes and his hand tightened on the glass he was holding.

 

“So what’s in it for us?”

 

Phil noticed the Central City drawl had deepened.

 

“You continue with what you do, SHIELD won’t stop you unless it conflicts with our interests, in return for your immunity you do the jobs that I send you. There are a lot of supernatural and meta humans in Central City, the police….”

 

“Cops, do we have to work with them.”  Phil could hear the contempt and hatred in Snart’s voice, and knowing his history he couldn’t blame him, Snart’s father had been a dirty cop, abusive and the brotherhood of blue as Snart saw it had kept his secret.

 

“You don’t have to work with them, in the usual course of a mission, but if you do I will be your handler and deal with them when needed, there will be full SHIELD support for you, your sister and Mick Rory.” Phil placed his hand on the table and slide across a black memory stick; this is your first mission, along with details of a  payment I hope will be satisfactory.”

 

Snart picked the  stick up, “and you don’t want a body count.”

 

Phil favoured him with a smile that showed his fangs, and Snart matched it.  “Mr Snart we are SHIELD we are not the FBI or the police, just get the job done. Now  I believe you have someone that belongs to me”


	8. Team Flash

Six Months Later: Central City

The final day of the Diamond exhibition, Leonard Snart, code name Captain Cold was in the museum, and admiring the diamonds on display, they had arrived from South Africa 28 days ago as part of an international tour. Mentally counting down the time they had before police response Snart was pleased to see that his heist was going as planned.

 

“601 seconds to exit,” Snart drawled in his signature monotone drawl.

 

Over the comms he could hear his crew calling in confirming as they cleared the different halls of the museum.

 

Then he heard a warning cry and felt a blast of air, turning the cold gun in his hand he saw the Flash, at least the kid now has a decent name, instead of sounding like a stripper.

 

The kid didn’t pull his punches, the impact hit him at waist level, throwing him, no pushing him backward at speed, then suddenly the support was gone and the momentum sent him flying backward, he hit something hard and he went crashing to the  floor, pain exploded through his body  and then there was blissfully nothing.

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

Mary Wilson was exhausted, she kicked off her shoes and picked up her mail as she came through her front door and then came to a halt, her fingers closing on the letters crushing them.

 

Stood in her front room was Mick Rory, the infamous Heatwave with  his partner Captain Cold, only the Captain was laid on her couch with one arm wrapped round his stomach. Immediately she was by his side, she hand hovered above Snart's shoulder she knew better than to touch him without permission, “you have to let me check you.”

 

There was a long pause and she met his gaze steadily, slowly he moved his hand and allowed her to pull his sweater up, she saw the heavy bruising, possible internal bleeding and when she ghosted a hand up his sides, she could feel the broken ribs, his left arm looked as if it was dislocated, there was heavy bruising on his face and a bloody gash on his forehead.

 

“Heatwave , get my bag it’s in that cupboard over there as he did that she pulled the cell phone from pocket her fingers flying over the keys, “Control this is Wilson 9878 November Charlie Echo, I have a man down.”

 

“Wilson,” Mick said.

 

She took the bag, passing him the phone, “they said ETA 25 minters,” then to Snart “ hang on Captain  you’re going to be okay,”  she told him even as she  threw open the bag and began to pull out equipment.

 

 Two hours later, and courtesy of one blacked out helicopter, Len was recovering in a private medical facility.

 

 SHIELD

 

Phil Coulson, took a seat in the cafeteria and opened the container that was on his lunch tray,  AB negative, and at body temperature, who said that SHIELD didn’t look after their vampires, he ignored the looks that some of the other agents were giving him. Senior handler and Agent of the now named Dark Force, he knew the fear that he generated in SHIELD.

 

Clint sprawled in the seat next to him, his plate was bulging with a large stake that was bloody with only the smallest sear on it to make it acceptable, and he started to eat with relish, it wasn’t that often that they got a chance to share a meal together, and Phil was going to make sure he made the most of it.”

 

It was then his cell phone rang, Phil pulled it out read the text, answered it and reached for his drink again.

 

 “Sir.” Clint had straightened up in his chair.

 

“It appears your partners in crime need some assistance.”

 

Clint grinned broadly “yeah, road trip, boss,” on the way out he snagged a cupcake off the plate of one of the Junior Agents, giving her a wink as he caught up with his handler munching away happily as he fell in step with him.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Five Days Later

 

Team Flash Head Quarter – Central City

Detective Joe West looked at the man stood in the headquarters of Team Flash, he was turning the pages of one of the mission folders; he looked up at the gun pointed at him with an expression of utter boredom.

 

The stranger looked back down and continued slowly turning the pages, as if he had every right to be there.

 

Joe saw Barry start forward and reached his free hand out to block the younger man’s way, the stranger dressed like a Fed, but there was more to him than that, and the last thing Barry needed to do was show the man his speed.

 

Finally the man closed the folder and turned his attention to Barry, Joe and Team Flash. “So you’re a CCPD CSI, and the Flash that is quite a resume, Mr Allen.” 

 

“Your mistaken mister…..” Barry started to say when the man locked eyes with him and he stuttered to a halt as the man continued as if Barry hadn’t spoken.

 

“You have been on our radar for some time Flash, you as well Dr Snow, Mr Ramon and of course the late Harrison Wells. It has made interesting reading you are one of many inhuman, or what do you call them Meta humans in this city. Since you have decided to make yourself the saviour of Central City we have decided to let you continue unchallenged, you have been working hard, but you have also made mistakes.” He paused “the pipeline, illegally imprisoning people, trying to illegally take them out of the country to the Arrow’s island prison, they have an ugly  name for that Mr Allen,  human trafficking.”

 

“Who the hell are you?” Joe said angrily, how dare this stranger bring that matter up, they had been unable to see any other options to a very tricky problem.   Snart had betrayed them and released the prisoners, so he found it easier to blame the criminal than admit what they doing was wrong.

 

“Senior Agent Phil Coulson, SHIELD” the man said as he reached slowly into his pocket, and removed with his thumb and forefinger his ID wallet, and shook it open. 

 

“Damn” Joe muttered and lowered his gun; this had just gone from bad to worse.

 

“SHIELD,” it was Cisco who jumped in. “I’ve heard of you, your wow, men in black.” He was grinning broadly “It’s not often you get to meet an urban legend.”

 

The man Coulson ignored him, his gaze fixed on Joe and Barry, the next second Barry moved to break the stalemate, picking up on Joe’s fear, only to find himself pinned to the floor with a knee in his back and a Glock pressed to the  his head, “dumb move kid,” Coulson said as he added “to think you’re the only one with game.”

 

“Get off him” Joe yelled, bringing his gun up again.

 

“I wouldn’t try that if I was you cop, its bad manners to point.”  The voice behind Joe sound amused, and when he turned his head slightly, he was looking down the shaft of an arrow, pointed straight at his head, and the man holding it gave him a smile that sent him cold.

 

Coulson did the introductions, “This is Agent Barton, lower you gun Detective West and we will keep this civil.  Now, Mr Allen I am going to let you up, I hope that you have leaned.” He pressed the gun a little harder, “you may be the Flash, but there are others of us who can move just as fast when we want too.”

 

Coulson straighten up and stepped back just as Barry started to move the younger man  looked up at Coulson and gave a muffled cry and started to crab backwards to get away from him.

 

“Barry, what’s wrong?” Joe demanded.

 

It was then Coulson looked at him and Joe saw the man’s lips twist into a mocking smile, and he saw the fangs, and it chilled him to the bone, a vampire, Coulson was a fucking vampire. His hand twitched towards his gun and the barb of the arrow pressed into the back of his neck.

 

“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t do anything stupid Detective.” Barton said his voice sounding disappointed.

 

“You’re a vampire.” Joe snarled at Coulson in shock.

 

“So Detective West, do you have problem with that?” Coulson said holding his gaze levelly, until the detective looked away.

 

“I thought not……….. I was quite happy to let you play your little games in Central, just like the Arrow in Starling City, but when you nearly killed one of my assets because you lost your temper Allen, that is something that I won’t allow.”

 

Barry cut in “the Arrow isn’t controlled by anyone, he….”

 

“The Arrow and SHIELD have reached an agreement, and the day he breaks it, is the day that Hawk kills him.” He looked almost fondly at the other archer.

 

“You think he can take the Arrow.”  Barry said.

 

“The Hawk never misses; ask Oliver Queen, Mr Allen, now where was I.  Yes of course, my assets, and your murder attempt on them.”

 

“Barry...” Joe looked at the young man he thought of as a son, “I don’t understand what he means.” Then to Coulson he said “Barry had never tried to murder anyone.”

 

Coulson ignored West, “Allen did your little support group tell you it was okay, that my asset had it coming to him, or  didn’t you like the fact that a so called human could give you a run around,”   Coulson continued.

 

Barton gave a laugh at that then, “sorry boss liked the pun” as Coulson nailed him with a look before the older man added..

 

“My asset was lucky to survive the encounter with you; his partner also sustained injuries in rescuing him, when you continued your attack even though he was down.” He paused and looked past Team Flash to the doorway, “Ah…Agent Snart, Agent Rory, I see you have decided to join us.” 

 

Barry turned fast to see Cold stood there with Heatwave, the latter was cradling his heat gun and seemed to be standing protectively in front of his partner, Cold looked pale and there signs of bruising and a cut on his face.

 

“You have to be joking, Snart’s a psychopath, he’s a killer and Rory’s a pyro…” Barry didn’t get a chance to finish.

 

“My assets,” there was a warmth in Coulson’s voice that had been lacking, except for when he had spoken to Barton.”

 

It was Caitlin Snow of all people who broke the tension, the doctor in her winning out over any feelings of bitterness over her kidnapping   by the two men.

 

“You better sit down Snart, you looked ready to drop” she pushed the office chair to him, and watched as he sank down onto it and got a nod from him in return. She was surprised when she got a curt “thanks doll” off Heatwave. She lent down over Snart talking softly to him, at the same time checking him over, as Coulson turned to the business in hand.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

SHIELD facility

48 hours later

 

Once he had fed, Mick had changed into his dragon form, with  Len sat leaning back against his side, tucked under his wing, Mick’s serpentine neck with its horse like head, was resting on Len’s leg, his tail was curled round the other side. Mick had opened his scales to allow the warmth to seep out so that Len was kept just warm enough. As an ice dragon he could easily when injured ice everyone around him and put himself into an icy hibernation so Mick’s heat kept the ice melted and Len resting easy. Smoke spilled out of Mick’s nostrils as he breathed, his eyes looked closed, but the moment that Phil Coulson came near his eyes opened, and he made a gruff throaty growl of welcome.

 

Snart woke and Mick huffed his displeasure, his partner should be resting. Len’s voice showed some of his exhaustion as he said “There was no need for you to come out Coulson, I had this in hand.”

 

“Sure you did Lenny,” Clint put in with a grin, a werewolf, Clint enjoyed tugging the tails of the dragon contingent when he could, his light heartiness a result of getting Len back safe and sound.

 

 

“I have made a deal with Team Flash.” Coulson said levelly, ever since day one of their recruitment he had knocked heads with Len, it was part and parcel of them both being King of Swords, but against the odds they had established a good working relationship.

 

Snart swore, under his breath, “What deal Coulson?”

 

“You don’t kill any innocents on your heists, and the Flash moves you down the list of importance.”

 

“And he believes that we will keep to those rules.” Snart asked.

 

“Barry Allen and his team are white hats Snart, they have no idea what is out there, and if they did they would run, so yes he believes that.” Coulson answered.

 

Len started to run through all the things he planned to do to bait the Flash, much to the amusement of Coulson and Barton.

 

Mick pulled him a little closer, contented to hear his mate talking, ready to enjoy the mayhem he was planning. 


	9. Chapter 9

** Twelve Months Later (The Present)  **

****

** 2.00 am **

****

** Museum of Modern Art –  ** Central City

 

Leonard Snart was backing away from the threat, Mick was already clear, he just had to get away now, and in his head, he knew that he still had 420 seconds before the police response would arrive.

 

The high wind buffeted him, but a shot from the cold gun made the speedster, swerve round him at the last second, he continued backing out, spraying an icy path round him.

 

But he knew that he was going to have put the speedster down, otherwise he could not get clear. All it took was a split second hesitation, and the speedster hit him hard, he flew backward  through the forest of glass wind chimes, bring them down, and he gave a cry of pain as the glass sliced into this leg, back and shoulder through his pants and parka. It was only the fact that his hood flew up when he hit that save the glass from slicing into the back of his head open.

 

Somehow Snart managed to keep his hold on the cold gun, he rolled onto his side with a muffled cry of pain and fired at the speedster as he approached again, but the angle was wrong and the speedster managed to avoid the icy stream and was on him.

 

A boot came down hard on his wrist pinning his hand to the floor and then ground it down into the glass, forcing him to release the cold gun with a grunt of pain, at the same time Snart pulled a knife from his boot, and left handed slashing, it sliced through the speedsters leather in a spray of blood.

 

The speedster screamed, in pain and fury, a fist ploughed into Snart’s face splitting his lip   and breaking his nose, as he was hauled up and then thrown crashing through the remainder of the glass chimes, he landed with a cry out in pain, only to be caught and dragged at speed, across the glass strewed the floor, released to crash into the wall, at that point he mercifully blacked out.


	10. Chapter 10

Ten Months Earlier 

The Horse Shoe

The bar was in the green belt of Central City, where the rural met the urban, it had good food and drinks that didn’t cost the earth and it had become the favorite spot for Team Flash visit and chill out. 

It had only been ten days since Coulson had come down, and read the riot act to them about the latest Agents of SHIELD who would have thrown that two of the worst criminals in Central City, Captain Cold and Heatwave would be working for them. 

Tonight was supposed to be a chance for Team Flash to come together and breathe a collective sigh that they hadn’t come out worse. But first Barry had pulled out, saying that he had work to do at the CCPD, then Cisco had a family get together, and finally Iris had been called back to the paper or so she said. 

“Hi Doll.” Cait looked up from her drink already knowing who she would see….. Mick Rory, she recognized his gruff voice.

The man sat down in the seat opposite her a bottle of beer in his hand, when she sensed someone else hovering over her; she looked up to see Leonard Snart, stood there. 

With a huff she moved over without being told so that he could take a seat next to her. 

She looked him over critically, “You’re not drinking with those painkillers are you,” she accused.

When he went to answer she deftly swapped his drink with her coke, with a satisfied smile at the look of distaste on his face, much to the amusement of Mick Rory. 

“You know Doc; we could really get to like you.” Mick drawled then added “don’t you think so boss.”

Suddenly Caitlin frowned as she saw the way Snart smirked as he said in that Central City slum drawl of his “oh yes.” 

This made her ask, “How did you know I was going to be here.” She saw the look that passed between the two men, “this can’t be your regular bar.” 

“Doc, you interest us strangely.” Snart said, and took a drink of his coke. 

At the same time across the City 

Cisco ran a hand over his face, as he looked from Joe West to Iris and Wally, and shook his head, “I can’t do it man, I…..”

“Barry is on a slippery slope, last night he grabbed Snart and Rory and got them clear, when they were about to get arrested.” Joe said earnestly. 

“Snart and Rory have been helping him with a meta human, that last guy was pure evil.” Cisco tried to protest, but….

“Yes and for how long….” Iris cut in “before they drag Barry down” she paused “all we need is for you to help us, get set up. It’s not like Barry’s not helping Wally with his speed and skills, if he wasn’t so blinded by SHIELD he would see Snart and Rory for the people they are.”

Cisco looked at each of them in turn, “maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea, I mean Wally could act as back up to Barry, and when Snart showed his true colors, he would have another speedster there to help him.” Cisco paused thoughtfully, “there is the equipment in the satellite facility, and Wells was using the place before we got our current base.”

“Would Barry know about the facility,” Joe asked.

“No it was before his and Caitlin’s times, so we could make it secure, I can increase the security and tap into the ……. “Cisco lapsed into silence as his mind whirled going over all the things they would need to do to get the small facility back up and running again. He was too occupied to see the look of triumph on Iris’s face as she laid a hand on his shoulder.

“I, we think it would be better if Barry didn’t know about this until we get it up and running.”

Cisco found himself nodding in agreement, as he continued to talk through his plans.


	11. Chapter 11

** The Present  **

Barry hopped off the treadmill and reaching down picked up the towel wiping his face and neck, then snagged his water bottle and headed back into the control room.

When he entered he saw Cisco was working at his computer station, only to close the monitor down when he come closer, and treated him to a smile that Barry knew meant that Cisco thought he was being clever. 

 The young inventor was a person that Barry considered his closest friend, but there was something going on here, that he couldn’t get a handle on and that worried him, the last time he got that secretive they ended up with a cold and heat gun.

He was all too aware that since Agent Coulson had read the riot act to them about his assets, his life and that of Team Flash had gotten more complicated. Okay he still chased after Snart and company and tried to foil his heists. But in return the ruthless criminals no longer killed, plus Snart and Rory had helped bring down some heavy hitting Meta Humans.

Just then the phone near Cisco began to ring, his friend immediately sat up straighter and he grabbed it and was out of the room, leaving him and Caitlin exchanging amused and puzzled looks.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

Once clear of the room, Cisco took the call listening for a minute and then hissed in the phone “what do you mean you need my help? I have got the system up and running and he’s not ready to go solo yet……. No Joe…..we can’t do that again, what we did in the pipeline was wrong man, there is no way we can justify it.  I am sorry….” He hung up and leant against the wall what the hell he did.

Taking a few deep breaths he walked back into the room, and snatched up his soda, ignoring the looks he was getting from Barry and Caitlin, he grabbed his coat and walked out, he needed time to think.

0-0-0-0-0-0

After completing the final barrage of test for Caitlin, Barry picked up his back pack and threw it over his shoulder as he headed home for the night. Due to Wally, the long lost prodigal son coming home, he had ended up leaving the West Home.  Partly it was caused by him wanting to give the West’s time to get together as a family again, but also because the agreement with Agent Coulson had led to a serious breach between them, over what they should do next.

It was not helped by the fact that Wally, he wasn’t as fast and still had a lot to learn, but with the arrogance of youth wouldn’t listen. Wally to Joe and Iris could do no wrong and it had just been another wedge in their friendship.

He had an early night, after eating his way through several power bars and three family size pizzas when his cell rang, he grabbed for it and squinted at the time, 2.06 am in the morning. Barry head dropped back on the pillow, he took a deep breath and answered the call, minutes later he was out on the street heading towards the Museum.

** Museum of Modern Art  **

Barry arrived on the scene minutes later, he could hear the alarms going off, he swore under his breath at the carnage.

 “Barry,” He could hear Cisco voice coming over the comm, demanding to know what was happening.

Barry ignored him, “Get any footage I need to know what happened here Cisco.”

“Cold.”  Cisco hazards a guess.

“Missing, but he iced the place up…… hang on a minute?”

There was blood splatter, CSI part of his brain kicked in. He saw the blood among the smashed wind chimes, he walked slowly eyes kept down on the floor as in his mind’s eye he saw the scene unfolding. Cold must have been thrown into the chimes; there was blood where he had landed. The cold gun lay discarded on the floor, and more splatter this was a finer spray, and then there was a thick smear across the floor as if he had been dragged. Barry halted; there was a gap and then more where Snart must have come to rest.

Bending he picked the cold gun up, charging the weapon as he kept it pointed towards the floor; the distinct whirling noise showed that it was still active. Snart would never abandon the gun willingly.

 Rising a hand to his comm he said “Someone took Snart, you best contact Rory, and then battened down the hatches” he paused, “I am cancelling the rest of the patrol, once I’ve had a look round, pull all the CCTV footage, and I’ll meet you back at base.”

Snart was missing and Barry didn’t want to even think of the fallout from that.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Cisco pulled up the CCTV footage that Barry had asked for and started searching just before the Museum alarm triggered.

“Oh shit.” He breathed feeling sick to the stomach as he saw the tell-tale streaks of lightening, on the film from the traffic cams and ATM. “Wally West,” he muttered under his breath.

He had justified it to himself that he was only helping to make his city even safer when he had helped them, and that Wally would keep well clear of Snart and Rory, as per the agreement with Coulson. Now it looked like it was back firing in his face.

Maybe it wasn’t too late; maybe he could get this put right, all he needed was time a day or two at the most. Reaching out; he pressed the delete key, for all intents and purposes the feed on the CCTV, ATM were erased, and there would be no evidence of Wally’s involvement in the abduction of Leonard Snart.

Barry walked into the Cortex, making no attempt to hide his anger, “Cait have you managed to get through to Mick yet.”

She nodded “He’s on his way in now,”

It hit Cisco suddenly, that sometime over the last few months, Leonard Snart had become Len, just as Mick Rory, Heatwave had become just Mick. He had warned them that Snart and Rory were off limits, but Team West has Wally liked to call them obviously hadn’t listened to him, and this game was going to have repercussions.

0-0-0-0-0

For the next three days, Cisco was all but tearing his hair out, as he argued with Joe, Iris and Wally, that Snart needed to be released, or at least put in Iron Heights. That was the lesser of two evils, he was under no illusion that Snart would be out within the week if they did that. But no, Team West were adamant Snart would stay in the pipeline, as an Ice Dragon and a dangerous criminal, hell killer he would be kept locked down.

What worried him the most was that they didn’t seem to have a plan and from the feed he had hacked into Snart looked in a bad way.

It was now 72 hours after Snart first disappeared and Cisco watched from his desk, as Mick Rory stood talking with Barry. He heard Mick say that he had contracted SHIELD, hell that was all he needed was the creepy vampire, and his pet werewolf to come back to Central he tried to suppress a shudder, he could still hear the not so  vailed threats Coulson had made.

Taking a deep breath he said “Cold in a prototype pipeline,” just those five words, and he found himself pinned by Rory’s steely gaze.

“And you would know that how kid,” Rory said, and Cisco was sure he could see a whisper of smoke trickling from his mouth, and the guy wasn’t even smoking.

Cisco looked towards Barry for support, “I set up a satellite facility for Wally, so that he could operate on the other side of the city, you know two speedsters can cover more ground more often than one,” he shrugged.

“CISCO,” Barry stepped closer, “You best tell what you know.”

Cisco glanced across at Caitlin, but all he could see was concern on her face, that was now turning to anger and he knew she wouldn’t help him.

“I used the equipment from what was Wells first facility, he had pretty much abandoned that one when Caitlin and you came along, it wasn’t worth taking anything with us when we move, he had funded newer state of the art equipment and we both worked on the upgrades on it. He wasn’t supposed to go solo, he was out on a training run, and Joe and Iris were monitoring him.” Cisco took a deep pull on his cola; his mouth was suddenly very dry as he saw the way Mick’s fingers were tapping on the butt of the heat gun.

“Remember that phone call I got the night Cold disappeared.”

Caitlin cut in “the one you took outside.”

“Yeah, well it… “He halted again “It was Joe, they had Cold and he’s……. Barry he put him in the prototype of the pipeline.” The words had barely left his mouth when he was caught and hauled up by his t-shirt, and he was looking into the enraged face of Mick Rory.

“Where the fuck is Snart.” Mick snarled, and suddenly the man had too many teeth.

“I can show you,” he swallowed hard, “Barry please, I did it for the best,”but he never got to finish as Caitlin cut him off.

“The CCTV feed… that was you?” Cait accused.

“Yeah, I had to have time to think man, it was all going too fast… so I deleted it to make Wally disappear, and I thought I could talk them into giving Cold back, but it’s not going to happen…... “

Barry’s barely suppressed his anger, “Cisco shows me… now.”


	12. Taking back what is ours

Barry entered the building phasing through the walls, as Cisco made sure that all they would see through their security feeds was normal readings.

 

He slowed once he was inside, and with a sickening feeling of Deja vu as he walked down one of the corridor and then down into a sub level and he saw the cells standing empty. But he had only one person in mind and turning a corner he saw him.

 

Leonard Snart was sat on the floor of the small cell, his back was against the wall, and he was hunched over his head was down, his elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging limp. Crumpled in a ball near him was a thin threadbare blanket, his shirt and pants were  sweat soaked, he had a bandage round his chest, and blood was seeping through a bandages round his hand and thigh.

 

From where he stood, Barry could feel the heat that was radiating from the cell.

 

“Len.” Barry said his name, glancing round worried that one of the team might discover him.

 

Snart looked up slowly, “Fuck off Flash……...you’re not…… really here….” his voice sounded raw as it trailed off and he made a shooing motion with his hand.

 

Barry was horrified with what he saw, Len had cuts on his face, heavy bruising to his jaw and throat, a broken nose and black eyes, sweat was rolling down his flushed face. Snart was an ice dragon and this heat was torture, pure and simple, what the hell were they thinking of. The way the Len’s eyes were blown he was more than likely hallucinating which mean he was going to have to be really careful with him.

 

The next second Barry had passed through the wall of the cell, bending he helped Len to his feet, quickly he wrapped an arm round his waist and he held him close, he could feel the way Len was shaking, his other hand cupped the back of the older man’s neck and gently pressed  Len’s head down so it rested on his shoulder.

 

“See Len I am real, we are getting out of here now,  I need you to close your eyes,” he said, and then moved; once he cleared the cell wall, he kept going until he was the other side of the city and back in the cortex, and carefully easing Len onto the table in medical.

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

Caitlin was already waiting for them, since Agent Coulson’s appearance, Team Flash, she, in particular, had done some serious rethinking as she got to know the two men, and seen beyond their public persona. 

 

Joe and Iris had taken the moral high ground, and they had used all sorts of emotional blackmail to try getting Barry to toe the line. But she was proud that Barry had turned his back on their argument, and instead asked how Team Flash could help the agents of SHIELD.

 

But now she had a job to do, Leonard Snart had been hurt badly by the look of it, and the way his blue eyes were blown, he was under the influence of something strong, and that would make him more unpredictable than normal.

 

Reaching out slowly so that even in his drugged state he could see what she was doing, she gently cupped his face. “Len, I am going to look after you, now I am going to have to get you undress and then cleaned up before I start. You don’t have to do anything, let us do it all.”

 

Len reached up and wrapped his blood stained, grimy fingers round her wrist holding her hand in place as he turned his face to brush his lips across her palm and leaned into her touch, before his hand dropped away.

 

His voice was a painful whisper, “y…….u can’t  be real….my Cait….Mick….mine… doesn’t want to wake up from ….. From this dre…..dream.”

 

“Not a dream Boss.” Mick said as he wrapped an arm round Len and held him close.

She didn’t bother to remove his shirt and pants she just cut them off to spare him the pain and effort of trying to remove them. She was a doctor but even so the breath caught in her throat when she saw the scars marring Snarts’ whole body.

 

“See…..” he chuckled… “ something you like Doc,” Len slurred, in that Central City  drawl that sent a shiver down Caitlin’s spine, a voice she was secretly worried she would never hear again.

 

The younger woman couldn’t help coloring slightly; she had been looking at Len’s body, not just the injuries, but finding herself drawn to the many tattoos that cover his skin camouflaging his scars. She found she wanted to come closer and trace each line and see if they…..  Caitlin lowered her eyes “Sorry that wasn’t very professional.”

 

She would have said more, but a big hand clamped on her shoulder, it was Mick , and suddenly all the tension melted from her.

 

Mick turned his attention to Barry, “Thanks for bringing him back kid.”

 

Barry shook his head, “It wasn’t right, just wasn’t right,” his voice trailed away, his eyes fixed on the injured man.

 

Caitlin carefully cut through the bandages and peeled them away and her mouth tighter into an angry line, but her touch remained firm but gentle as she examined the inflamed sliced flesh.

 

“Mick gets him onto his stomach, I am going to have to get him washed down first, before I start getting the glass out, and a lot of the wounds already look infected.”

 

She turned to get the water as she heard Mick talking softly to his partner, “It’s okay, Boss just needs to get you laid down, and then the Doc’s going to clean you up.”

 

Len chuckled again, but that stopped suddenly as Mick tried to get him onto his stomach, he began to struggle against him, only his weakened state and Mick’s greater strength kept him pinned in place. Mick’s gruff voice made rough from the smoke, began to trill, and slowly the fear began to bleed out of Len and he laid still, as Mick stroke the back of his head, shoulders and down his spine.

 

Cait laid the bowl by the side of the table, and pulled on her gloves, dipping a gaze pad into the warm water. “Len, I am going to clean you up,” she began to wipe away the sweat and dried blood, dropping the gaze down as she picked up a new piece, as she worked Mick kept up a steady stream of trilling and reassurance.

 

“I am going to have to get the glass out of the wounds, and afterward I’ll be giving you a broad based antibiotic, and we are getting you cooled down.”

 

“They had him in a hot cell.” Barry told her.

 

Caitlin muttered under her breath, she looked up and saw Mick grin at her colorful language. “Barry, I need you to get as many bags of ice as you can, Cisco, get the iced water out of the fridge, we need to get his body temperature down.”

 

“Mick, just keep doing what you’re doing, I can’t give him anything for the pain when he’s like this, and I can’t restrain him while I operate.”

 

“C….. Cait.”  Len said her name as if it was a prayer, “I…”

 

“I am here Len, now just hang in there it won’t be long and then you can rest.”

 

“Cait….” Cisco’s eye got a little larger he hadn’t realized that Caitlin was allowing Leonard Snart of all people to call her by her nickname.

 

As if reading Cisco’s mind, she said, “The bomb, it was pointed out to me was set so that even a middle aged detective could get me free in time,” and to Cisco’s horror, Caitlin actually smiled  at the pyromaniac dragon and his icy partner.

 

Then she became all business again, “ I am going to spray the wounds with a local anesthetic, which will allow me to work on him; I don’t want to use any oral painkillers because his system is already depressed.” 

 

She began to remove the glass slivers that were still imbedded in the skin, starting on his back, and in some cases draining away the pus from the inflamed wounds, she worked her way down to his thighs.

 

It was then she paused, “Mick, these are going to have to be cut off,” she touched Len’s boxers, with her fingertips, very lightly.

 

“Okay,” he leaned further over Len, speaking softly to him, and then nodded towards her, but the second she began to cut them off, Len screamed, making her pull back, as he began to thrash fighting to get away…..”Keep your fu…ckings hands off me…. I’ll kill you, cut your dick and shove it...” his dirty blood stained fingers ripping the side of the table with his talons as he tried to escape.

 

Then, with a heartbreaking sob he drop back onto the table, tears running down his face, his words too slurred to understand now as he failed to break free of Mick’s hold.

 

It was then Cait saw the look on Mick’s face and her heart broke, quickly she stripped off her gloves, and then carefully leaned over Len, with her finger tips she turned his face towards her. “We’re here Len, I am here Mick is here, no one is going to hurt you, I just need to remove the glass, then you can rest, you’re safe.” She looked into the frightened pain filled eyes and knew it was pain from the past and not just his injuries; she gently and lightly pressed a kiss to his forehead, as she ran her hand across his close cropped hair.

 

Straightening up, she pulled on fresh gloves and began removing the rest of the glass, she used butterfly strips to close some of them and others, and she put a couple of stitches in, and then dressed them. 

 

“Len I need you to sit up, okay…. Mick is going to help you.”

 

Carefully Mick manhandled his partner in a sitting position, with one arm wrapped round his waist to keep him close, as Cait stepped between Len’s splayed knees to wash the blood and grime from his face, and check his broken nose. Team west had been pretty incompetent with his health care, but whoever had helped them had at least done right by his broken nose. It was then she felt Len curl his arms round her waist and pull her close, as he laid his head against her chest, she lowered her face so that she was resting it against the top of his head, at the same time she felt a Mick’s other arm close round her. For several minutes they just stayed like that. Carefully, she eased back, “I’ll get him some sweats, then we need to get him into an ice bath he’s still too warm.  Mick I need you to carry him through to the Physio suite “

 

Turning to Barry, who had just arrived with six jumbo bags of ice, she ignored the surprised look on his face “I need you to put a layer of ice down first, so that he’s resting on it. Once Len’s in the bath were going to cover him with the rest. He’s an ice dragon, we need to get his temperature down and keep him hydrated…….. Cisco do you have the water?” Seeing the concerned look on Mick’s face she paused, “don’t worry Mick, I am going to take some blood samples so I can find out what they pumped into him, whatever it was it suppressed his powers, but my guess is that it will pass out of his system in the next few hours, but I will monitor him until then..”

 

0-0-0-0-0

 

What happened during the following hours wasn’t good, from the blood sample she had taken Caitlin could see that Len had been given regular high dosage of the drug and now he was coming down, hard. She watched as Mick had to manhandle his partner, as Len began to scream obscenities at him in-between yelling at him to leave Lisa alone, and how he was going to gut his scum sucking father. Mick looked up at her, and she shook her head, they both knew it was too dangerous to give him anything to sedate him, until the drug had cleared his system.

 

So all they could do was waiting it out, when Caitlin went out for a break, she was pale and shaking, quickly waving off Barry and Cisco, as she brushed away some tears. She sank into her seat and took the mug of coffee that Barry got her, only to flinch as she heard a low scream from the room, when she started up, Barry put a hand on her shoulder, “I’ll go.”

 

“No, he needs me.” Cait said and went back into the room.


	13. The Vampire and the Werewolf

Mick heard a commotion in the main room, and slipped out of bed and stormed into the room “what the fuck,” was as far as he got, when he saw Senior Agent Coulson stood there, and Mick took a steadying breath, if truth be told he didn’t deal with Coulson, Len was the one who went toe to toe with the Senior Agent. 

Coulson spun round on his heel, and allowed his fangs to show, but his voice was level and pleasant. Mick knew he was in for it, a sniff and he looked round to see Clint Barton, seated in one of the chairs with his feet resting on Cisco’s desk, and helping himself to the other man’s Chinese taker way.

“Hi Mickey,” 

“Barton………… sssshut it.” Coulson said, the hiss done on the in breath, made Mick gave a shudder and it meant that Coulson was pissed, but Barton just grinned wider. 

“Coulson,” Mick said, nodding towards the older man mentally Mick added under his breath “Oh Shit,” Coulson’s eyes burned silver, he was every inch the Master Vampire, and that was never good. He had only seen Coulson vamp out once, and that had been when Clint had been taken by a hunter, and had been near to death. A camp load of hunters, and he and Len had attacked with Coulson, it had been glorious, he had burned and Len had iced, and Coulson had vamped out, tearing out throats with fangs, breaking bones under his hands. He knew what the vampire wanted and that was to see his partner so he didn’t get in his way. 

“Len’s in here.” He walked into the room, and couldn’t help a grin when he saw Cait stood between the door and a sleeping Len protectively. He caught her by the waist and pulled her out of Coulson’s way as he strode past her. “It’s okay doll, Coulson just needs to take a look at the boss.”

Phil Coulson stood over Len, and reached out a hand to cup his face, and his thumb lightly stroked the other man’s jaw, at his touch, Len’s eyelids fluttered and opened, and he was struggling to focus on the man stood over him. 

“Leonard.” Coulson said the name with a tenderness that anyone else would have found alien to the coolly professional vampire usual persona. Len was exhausted but he refused to be weak and helpless when another alpha, another King of Swords stood over him. He lifted an icy hand and tried to grip the side of the bed and pull himself up. Suddenly Mick was there by his side, a strong arm round his shoulder as the big man took a seat on the bed, and pulled him upright, holding him protectively against him. 

Clint had moved to the bedroom door, and was propping himself against the door jamb, slurping down the noodles. 

“Coulson, Barton.” Len acknowledged both men, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Clint waved his chop sticks at him in greeting, “you had the boss man worried, we just got in from Chile…..” he paused, “I know Boss, shut up,” he said with a grin and dug back into the noodles.

Coulson didn’t turn round, “Barton work with Cisco, full specs of the prison, they kept him in and surrounding area, Protocol 11, free fire all targets are green.” Barton grinned broadly at the Protocol 11, with any luck, Phil would take to the field himself, and that was always fun. 

Caitlin suddenly nervous, “Senior Agent Coulson, you can’t do that.” 

The eyes that turned to her went from hazel to black, she was about to step back when she felt Mick’s large hand on the small of her back, and that gave her the confidence to stand firm. 

“Joe, Iris, Wally, they made mistakes.” She took a steadying breath, “they didn’t agree when Barry, when we agreed to work with the Rogues, and they stopped coming round. But Barry has been teaching Wally, we never knew this was going to happen.” 

Coulson’s eye went back to hazel, “The first time we came here it was because the Flash nearly killed Len, and now I back here again because it is not enough to injure my asset, they tried to illegally imprison him and didn’t even understand enough to not nearly kill him with heat and illegal drugs.” Coulson looked towards Barry, “Have I missed anything Mr. Allen? Or did Dr. Snow lie in her medical report on my asset“

Barry walked slowly into the bedroom, and immediately went over to where Len was laying. “No, Agent Coulson, you haven’t missed anything. Joe West is my foster father; he is a good man…..” Barry trailed off. He shifted his feet and then tried again. “Joe is a good cop, he believes in the letter of the law and can’t accept the lighter shades we work with, he is all black and white, there are villains and there are heroes it is as simple as that.”

Exhaling slowly, Barry continued, “Please, we can fix this, Wally just needs more guidance, Team west needs guidance, please let us try.” 

“You get him and Team West here, we will talk….and I want to know who’s backing them. But Mr. Allen if they fail to come here or threaten my assets again, I will have them terminated.” 

With the threat ringing in his ear Barry Allen left to talk to Team West on what might well be a life or death mission.


	14. Chapter 14

Finally the drug burned out and by then Len had screamed himself hoarse, and was too weak to struggle.  Caitlin completed her final checks on his vitals, “we can get him out now.”

 

Mick bent and lifted Len out of the ice bath, holding him as Cait stripped him using one of the cool towels that Barry gave her; the two of them dried him off and dressed him back into fresh sweats. Sweeping his partner up into a bridal lift, Mick carried him, following Cait into one of the small bedrooms off the main Cortex, only to find that Barry had beat them to it and already had the blankets pulled back. A few minutes later, once sure that the two men were settled Cait followed Barry back into the Cortex and accepted a strong cup of coffee.

 

0-0-0-0

 

One hour later, Caitlin came into the room; Len was sleeping easy in Mick’s arms, his face pressed against the larger man’s chest, strong arms holding him close. She checked his vitals, his temperature had returned to what was normal for him, looking up, she paused, and bit her lip.

 

“One question.”

 

“Only one?” Mick said with a genuine smile now his partner was out of the woods.

 

“How did you two meet up?”

 

“It’s a long story.”

 

Cat smiled “we have all night.”

 

Mick signed and rubbed a hand over his face and yawned, “Well, it was like this doll.”

 

“As you know, Len is a hybrid ice dragon, he can’t change into a full dragon form, but is deadly with what he can do, the way he can work the ice and the cold. Len’s father didn’t like that he took after his Ma’s side of the family, called him a freak and beat the hell out of him for the smallest mistake, so Len didn’t make mistakes, he learned his lesson well but that still didn’t stop his father.” Mick looked down at this partner and with a gentleness that would have surprised most people, rearranging the blankets round him.

 

“Surely, the police.” Caitlin began and stuttered to a halt as she saw the look on the other man’s face.

 

“His father was a dirty cop in good standing with the station and the mob, so no one cared, and every time he came home drunk, Len stepped between him and his kid sister, Lisa. Len’s medical file, shit Cait if you saw that…… it was a fucking nightmare, Lewis Snart made Len his punch bag, and the kid took it to keep Lisa safe.” Len moved in the bed, his head lifting off Mick’s chest, eyes still closed, Mick turned his attention back to his partner, using his hands to gentle him down, so he was resting easy again.

 

Only once his partner was settled again did Mick continue. . “We met in juvie and I got him out of a fix he was in, some  kids decided that he was easily picked and when he fought back, tore into them with his claws one of them pulled a shiv on him, would have gutted him if I hadn’t  got to him in time.”

 

Caitlin opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead gave him a nod of encouragement for him to continue.

 

“When I got out of Juvie, I ended up pulling a bone head job and did my first 18 month stretch at Iron Heights, when I got out, Len had just turned 18 and was thieving with his father, poor bastard didn’t have a chance to say no, he also did other jobs on his own, all the money he got he used on Lisa, paid for her ice skating, High School books, food, he made sure she eat well every night, even if he went short himself. Sometimes he even had to sell himself to make ends meet, reduced to eating off leftovers in the Motorcar diner. He gave her a fierce look to make sure she understood the level of trust he was giving her. It was then he noticed the ice queen, had tears in her eyes, but she brushed it away, and pulled herself up a little straighter. 

 

“I, we never knew.”

 

“You mean the Allen never looked at our files.”

 

“Barry brought them back here, but he only, Mick he only read the first part of the file the sections concerning the robberies and prison breaks, not the personal stuff.

 

“Maybe he should have,” Mick said gruffly.

 

“Maybe he should,” Caitlin said softly echoing what he said, leaning over she reached out slowly and pulled the blanket up over them both, making sure it was tucked in round Len, before turning to go. Only for Mick to catch her wrist, “You’re tired doll.”

 

Cait nodded and then slipping out of her shoes, lay down on the other side of the bed so that she was curled round Len on top of the blankets, telling herself it was the ideal way to keep an eye on her patient, but knowing it was  a lie. Over the months since they had started working together, she had found herself drawn to the two criminals, starting with the day Leonard Snart had limped into the Cortex suffering injuries that Barry had caused and Mick has stood protectively over him. 

 

Since then, the two men had kept appearing in her life at an art gallery, the farmers market, the cinema and that wasn’t counting the times they helped with the Meta humans. She had long stopped seeing them as a threat, they had become reassuring, and it was only tonight she had realized how important they had become to her.

 

Seven o’clock the next morning, and none of Team Flash had left to go home, all waiting on seeing how their Ice Dragon was doing.


	15. The arrogance of youth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a young speedster, the lure of becoming a superhero is too much.  
> Leading to near fatal events.

Two years later.

 

Team Flash had achieved a close working relationship with Agents Snart and Rory, while at the same time the Flash still battled the supervillains Captain Cold and Heatwave.

 

But for Joe West and his daughter Iris, it was too much.  As far as they were concerned this was nothing more than an elaborate plan of Snart which would end in disaster when he turned on them and showed his true colors. In the end Barry Allen moved out of their house, and into his own apartment, just as Wally West, the lost son of Joe arrived back in Central City. 

 

Wally was a speedster like Barry, but refused to listen to the other man. He was young and couldn’t wait to pull on the suit and become a superhero. The fact that Barry refused to allow him to face off against Cold and Heatwave and the Rogues, Snart’s crew, was a source of contention that slowly grew into a major wedge that was driven between him and Barry. It was around that time that he stopped coming to STAR LABS.

 

Central City 

 

The Museum of Modern Art looked like a brick box but inside was large glass walls to allow an organic flow of art with high glass floored walk ways, adding to the sensation of flowing through the exhibitions or so the guide book said.

 

Captain Cold was thrown backward smashing through one of these glass walls. He landed on his back sliding along the floor leaving behind a smear of blood. Somehow he managed to roll onto his side and bring the cold gun up firing a stream of ice to try and slow the speedster down and get some distance between them.

 

But he missed only to be grabbed and thrown through a second wall in a shattering of glass the cold gun falling from his fingers. By the time his body came to a halt the speedster was on top of him, and a power punch to the head knocked him unconscious.

 

0-0-0

 

Barry arrived on the scene minutes later. He could hear the alarms going off and he swore under his breath.

 

 “Barry,” He could hear Cisco voice coming over the comm.

 

“Get any footage I need to know what happened here.”

 

“Cold.”  Cisco hazards a guess.

 

 

“Missing, but,” Barry strode forward stepping through the shattered glass wall and looking down saw the bloody smear and the cold gun laying among the blood and the shattered glass. He picked it up and charged it keeping it pointed towards the floor. The distinct whirling noise showed that it was still charged. Snart would never abandon the gun even if it was exhausted. Walking forward he saw there was about twenty feet of clear floor with just some blood spatter. The professional side of his mind noted. Continuing through the second broken glass wall he noted an even longer and thicker blood smear and then again it vanished. Raising a hand to his comm he said, “Someone took Snart. You best contract Rory, and then batten down the hatches.” He paused, “I am cancelling the rest of the patrol. Once I’ve had a look round pull all the CCTV footage and I’ll meet you back at base.”

 

Snart was missing and Barry didn’t want to even think of the fallout from that.

 

0-0-0

 

Cisco looked at the feed from the museum then switched to that from the traffic lights and the ATM. He bit his lip, in one of the freeze frames he could clearly see the speedster with an unconscious bloody Captain Cold thrown over his shoulder. He looked across quickly at Caitlin, she had her attention focused on her screen. Taking a deep breath, he pressed delete and the footage began to be erased from the cameras.

 

He felt the whoosh of air as Barry arrived back at the cortex, “Any luck?” he asked his face showing his concern.

 

“Nothing, the feed had been scrubbed.”

 

 “You have to find something Cisco. People don’t just vanish, there must be away.”

 

“I’ll try,” Cisco said, avoiding the look that Caitlin was giving him, and looking back at his screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know that the rests of this story will be posted on  
> Agents of the darkside (rewritten and expanded) link to New tales of the darkside under the title The arrogance of youth. 
> 
> Hope you like the story.


	16. The rescue and the coming of SHIELD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Len being kidnapped the race is one to rescue him, and in the meantime SHIELD is on the move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A friend has asked if I could continue posting the remaining chapters of the story here.  
> I was more than happy to do so.

Seven days later

Snart had vanished a week ago and since then the Rogues and Team Flash had been beating the bushes to try and find him. If the odd warehouse had gotten torched by a pissed off Fire breathing dragon then they could understand Mick Rory venting his anger and frustration.

Finally in desperation Barry turned to Felicity at Star City. She was a former Black Hat Hacker who had made good and while Barry stood at her side she worked her magic. There was an indirect camera which had picked up the reflection from a large mirror on display in a shop. It was this camera which had shown Barry what he feared the most. Coming from the museum the picture was as blurred to hell but it showed the signature distortion of a speedster.

Felicity pains takingly plotted the speedster across the city using cameras from any source that she could hack finally losing him in a run-down part of town. A few minutes later she turned a puzzled face to him. “I ran a scan of the area, that building there….” she highlighted it. It used to belong to Harrison Wells before he moved to Star Labs.”

“Deserted?”

“That’s the thing. According to the records it’s still plugged into the grid. Someone is use it.”

Barry began to set a terrible sinking feeling about this, he swallowed hard, give me the address I’m going to check it out.”

Should I notify control for you?”

“Err no, let me check it out first thanks, do you mind?”

Felicity nodded “My pleasure and I won’t tell anyone. Take care.”

0-0-0

Barry slowed to normal speed as he approached the building guessing they might have sensors to pick up a speedster, that was what they had at Star Labs anyway.  

But if this place was Well’s old lab then it was possible the security system would be based on the one they used. Granted, Cisco had been updating it, but would these people have the technology to do that?  Already he was beginning to get a feeling that he knew who was behind this. He just prayed he was wrong.

Carefully approaching the building he paced out in his mind the distance and then accelerated one short sharp burst of speed to phase him through the wall without setting off any alarms.

The place looked deserted with filthy floors and cracked walls but it felt wrong like the dressing of a film set. Turning a corner he pulled back quickly just spotting the camera in time and that was only because he was looking for it.

“Cisco.” Barry swore, that was one of his inventions. Only problem was Cisco never worked in the first Lab. Joining after the move, also this addition to the security system was only implemented three months ago.

Now it made sense why the tech wizard was unable to find evidence of the other speedster he was working with them. Barry pushed the sickening disappointment and feeling of betrayal down, that could wait. He had to find Snart.

Once he got his head round the doppelganger complex, it was easy to speed just fast enough to avoid the cameras and made his way down to where he thought the pipeline was.

He couldn’t believe that after Ferris Air when they knew that they had been doing by imprisoning metas without trial was so wrong. That this team would still go ahead and do it.

From where he stood, Barry could feel the heat radiating from the cell.

Snart was sat on the low cot his back against the wall, his face was flushed and sweat was beaded across his forehead, his shirt and pants were plastered to his body.

“Len.” Barry hissed his name glancing round him, frightened that one of the team might discover him.

“Flash,” Snart’s voice sounded dry and raw.

“How are you?”

“Peachy, just peachy,” He made a shooing wave of his hand and closed his eyes and resting his head back against the wall.

He was horrified. Len had cuts on his face, bruising to his jaw and throat and he was nursing one arm against his chest, he could see bandages through the shirt. Snart was an ice dragon and this heat was torture pure and simple. What the hell were they thinking of?

Snart suddenly gave a laugh that was totally disturbing. “You’re not real Flash so fuck off, unless you can turn into Mick.” He gave another laugh that grated across Barry’s nerves. Something was very wrong with Snart. He  had to get him out of there and fast. Good job fast was something he was very good at.

The next second Barry had phased through the wall of the cell, kneeling in front of Snart he put a hand onto his knee. “I am not a hallucination, Len.”

Snart opened his eyes and then with one finger prodded him in the chest and the laugh this time …. Well….. Barry didn’t want to think about it.

“Come on, let me help you up.” Barry asked.

Carefully he drew Snart to his feet, “I’m getting you out of here, all you have to do is hang on.” Quickly he wrapped an arm round his waist and held him close. With his other hand he cupped the back of the older man’s neck and gently pressed Len’s head down, so it rested on his shoulder. “Close your eyes,” he said, and then moved. This time he didn’t bother to keep to normal speed once he cleared the cell wall. He kept going until he was the other side of the city and back in at Star Labs and into medical yelling for Caitlin.

Dr Snow rushed into medical, and immediately began to bark out orders. Since Coulson had come on the scene, Team Flash her included had had to do some serious rethinking, about how they could work with Snart and Rory.

By the look of it Len had been hurt badly. They laid him on the  examination table, she moved in front of him,  gently cupping his face and tilting it up. His  blue eyes were blown, he was still under the influence of something, and that made him even more unpredictable. She had learned very quickly that strong medication and Snart was not a good mix. But it was better if she kept up a stream of information so that he knew exactly what was going to happen. Even if he seemed to far out of it to understand.

“I am not going to try and remove your shirt, it’ easier to just cut it off.”  She paused, and then picked up the shears and began to cut it off. Caitlin’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the heavy bruising that marred Snart’s body.

“Seeing something you like,” Len slurred in that monotones drawl that sent a shiver down her spine, a voice she was beginning to worry she would never hear again. She couldn’t help the flush that heated her face. Snart giggled in response to it and gave her shoulder a playful push.

Caitlin couldn’t help herself. She had found herself looking at Len’s body, not just the injuries, but the many tattoos that cover his skin.  Usually he displayed very little skin, even during the hottest weather he always wore full length sleeves. So she was fascinated by the full sleeves on both arms and the patterns that covered his chest all done in black and grey. Cleverly done to help hide some of the horrific scars he carried from his father and the hard life he had led. She had to stop from herself from tracing each line and swirl with her fingers.

She managed a slightly strained “Err sorry,” and went back to work trying to ignore the fact that he kept brushing her hair back and stroking her arm, showing more emotion than she had ever seen before.

The big hand clamping down on her shoulder made her jump. She turned her head and saw Mick Rory stood there next to Barry.

 “Thanks for bringing him back kid.”  The big man said.

Barry nodded, “It wasn’t right it just wasn’t right,” his voice trailed away, his eyes fixed on Len, as Caitlin took a steadying breath and began to carefully cut through the bandages and peeled them away her mouth tightened into an angry line, but her touch remained firm but gentle as she examined the inflamed sliced flesh.

“We are going to have to get the glass out of the wounds, a broad-based antibiotic, and he is way too hot.” She stated.

“They had him in a hot cell.”  Barry explained.

Caitlin muttered something under her breath that the younger man was pleased he didn’t hear, and then louder she said. “Barry, I need to you get as many bags of ice as you can, we need to get his body temperature down.”

Turning towards the door she spotted Cisco, so she added. “Cisco, I am going to need you to get me some iced water, and Mick, I’ll need your help. We can’t restrain him while I operate, and he can’t move, so….”

Cisco backed away, hands held up, “It’s Leonard Snart… he tried to kill my brother.”

Mick gave him a disgusted look “Fucking get over it, your brother didn’t lose any fingers because Len made sure he didn’t, just like Cat wasn’t really at risk of being blown up. I should know, I set the fucking bomb”

“Cat….” Cisco’s eye got a little larger like he hadn’t realized that Caitlin was allowing Mick Rory of all people to call her by her nickname.

“The bomb, was set in such a way that a middle aged detective had ample time to get me free and play the hero,” Caitlin said and to Cisco’s horror smiled at the pyromaniac dragon.

0-0-0

Mick leaned over close and spoke to his partner coaxing him slowly and painfully onto his stomach and for the first time he saw the damage, “Cat?”

“I am going to spray the wounds with a local anesthetic which will allow me to work on him; I don’t want to use any oral painkillers because his system is already supressed. It would help his healing if he could change into his dragon form.”

Mick shook his head, “He won’t do that Doc.”

Cat mouth a “Oh,” understanding that there was a story in those few words that she needed to hear about later, then added “No matter. We can do it this way.” She leaned down so that Len could see her. “I am going to start to clean the wounds on your back.” She gently brushed her hand across his brow, “I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

 She worked quickly cleaning his back of dried blood. Someone had attempted to remove the glass but had missed some of the deeper imbedded pieces and the wounds had started to get infected. So each had to be given special attention. While she worked Mick was making sure that Len was drinking the ice water that his body was now craving as Cisco kept up a steady supply of them.

All the time she was working Barry was bringing in bags of ice.  

Now his back was finished she leaned over Len, lightly tilting his face so that he could see her, “I am going to cut away your pants now, I have to check on your leg injuries.”

“No,” he caught her hand, his head shaking, “No,” and she could see he was beginning to get distressed.

“Len, I have to do it. Your injuries need attending your need to trust me.” But he was still shaking his head and started to try and pull himself up and off the bed.

“I’m here Boss, I’m not going to let anyone harm you, and this is our girl. Remember our girl? Cat’s not going to hurt you.” He said at the same time as his big hands moved reassuringly over him.  

0-0-0

If Caitlin heard our girl she didn’t comment on it just lightly stroked her hands over his face and shoulders until Len relaxed.  Only then did she cut through his pants and underwear removing them carefully, fearful of pulling against some of the dried blood that had seeped round the wounds.

She worked quickly on the wounds, as Mick kept up a steady stream of reassurance to his partner.

“Barry, I need you to put a layer of ice down in the tub so that he’s resting on it.”

Once she was finished Mick carried Len through and placed in him the bath tub. She carefully covered him with the rest of the ice, till slowly Len’s eyes closed.

“Lens an ice dragon once his body has reached the right temperature it should start to heal. In the meantime he’s in a light hibernated state so we won’t have to reach absolute zero. e We just have to keep him nice and cold. Cat paused, “Don’t worry Mick, I think the worse is behind him now.” She patted the Fire Dragons hand.

 

0-0-0

During the following hours, Cat came in and out checking his vitals. His temperature gradually beginning to return to what was a chilly normal for him.  Looking across the tub, she met Mick’s gaze and frowned.

“One question?”

“Only one?” Mick said with a genuine smile now his partner was out of the woods.

 “Why wouldn’t Len change into his dragon form. It would have helped him heal much quicker and no one would have minded.”

Mick signed and rubbed a hand over his face, “well, it was like this doll.”

His expression changed “Len’s father didn’t like that he took after his Ma’s side of the family. Called him a freak and beat the hell out of him so Len leaned to keep the dragon in him locked away. The first time he iced his dad he ended up in hospital puking blood. “Mick looked down at this partner with a gentleness that would have surprised most people, and rearranged one of the ice towels.

“Surely, the police, children’s services?......” Caitlin began and stuttered to a halt as she saw the look on the other man’s face.

“His father was a dirty cop, and had friends in the station and the mob so no one cared, and every time he came home drunk Len stepped between him and his kid sister, Lisa. Len’s medical file, shit Cat if you saw that…… it was a fucking nightmare. Lewis Snart made Len his personal punching bag, and the kid took it to keep Lisa safe.”  Len moved in the ice, his head turning towards Mick’s voice. “It’s okay Lenny I’m here,” Mick took one of the ice water towels and gently wiped Len’s face down making sure that he was resting easily again.

“How did you meet up?”

“Just one question doll.”

“Mick, please,” Cat said.

“Our girl,” Len’s voice was slurred and his eyes flicked and opened, one hand clawing out of the ice to reach for Mick’s.

“Okay Boss,” Mick leaned over his partner. “Rest easy and let me do the talking.”

Once he has sure his partner was settled again Mick continued. “We met in juvie and I got him out of a fix he was in. Some kids decided that he was easy pickings and when he fought back he tore into them with his claws. One of them pulled a shiv on him and would have gutted him if I hadn’t got to him in time.”

Caitlin opened her mouth as if to speak but instead gave him a nod of encouragement for him to continue.

“I aged out of Juvie and finished my time in Iron Heights. By then Len had just turned 19 and was thieving with his father. Poor bastard didn’t have a chance to say no. He also did other jobs on his own, all the money he got he used on Lisa, paying for her ice skating, High School books , food. He made sure she eat well every night even if he went short himself. 

Mick’s hand tightened on the towel and his face grew ugly then he exhaled sharply “Len was selling himself when I caught up with him to raise extra money.” He gave her a fierce look to make sure she understood the level of trust he was giving her. It was then she noticed she had tears in her eyes  she brushed it away and pulled herself up a little straighter. 

“That’s why when I tried to cut his pants off he acted that way.”

Mick nodded. “Len don’t like to be touched.”

“I, we never knew.”

“You mean that Allen never looked at our files.”

“Barry brought them back here, but he only…….  Mick, he only read the first part of the file, the sections concerning the robberies and prison breaks, not the personal stuff.”

“Maybe he should have,” Mick said gruffly.

“Maybe he should,” Caitlin said softly echoing what he said, as she reached out taking the iced towel from Mick and used it to sooth Len.

There was a sudden commotion in the Cortex, Mick was on his feet in an instant.

“You see to it, I’ll stay with him,” Caitlin stated.

Mick stormed out to see Senior Agent Coulson stood there and he took a steading breath if truth be told he didn’t deal with Coulson. Len was the one who went toe to toe with the Senior Agent. He could be a hot head and he knew his temper wasn’t all unicorns and rainbows but also a lot of it was show playing the crazy pyro to the limit.

Coulson spun round on his heel and allowed his fangs to show, but his voice was level and pleasant. Mick knew someone was in for it.  He took a sniff and sure enough Clint Barton was seated with his feet resting on Cisco’s desk, the werewolf helping himself to the other man’s Chinese takeway.

 

“Hi Micky.”

“Barton………… shut it.”  Coulson said, a hiss done on the word, mean that Coulson was pissed, but Barton just grinned wider.

Mick had only seen Coulson vamp out once and that had been when Clint had been taken by a hunter and had been near to death.  There had been a camp full of hunters and him and Len had gone in with Coulson. It had been glorious. He had burned, Len had iced, and Coulson had vamped out tearing out throats with his fangs, breaking bones under his hands. He knew what the vampire wanted, and he didn’t get in his way.

“Len’s through there,” Mick stepped back as Coulson strode past him into the medical bay, as he followed on his heels.

Caitlin Snow all five feet six of her, was stood between Coulson and Len. Her face set in an expression of determination as she held a pair of scissors in hand.

“It’s okay Doll,” Mick reassured her, only then did she step aside the scissors clutched to her chest, still ready to use them.

Phil Coulson looked over her shoulder, “I think I like her.” Then he reached out a hand to cup Lens face, and his thumb lightly stroked the other man’s jaw. At his touch Len’s eyelids fluttered and opened. He was struggling to focus on the man stood over him.

“Leonard.”  Phil Coulson said the name with a tenderness that anyone else would have found alien to the coolly professional vampire usual persona.  Len’s mind was still foggy from the  drugs from the prison but he would not be weak and helpless when an alpha stood over him. He lifted an icy hand and tried to grip the side of the tub to pull himself up. But Mick had his wrist and shoulder in a firm grip and helped him sit up a bit straighter.

Clint moved to the door way propping himself against the door jamb, slurping down the noodles. 

“Coulson, Barton.”  Len’s head rested on his partners shoulder as he tried to focus on the two men.

Clint waved his chop sticks at him in greeting, “You had the boss man worried. We just got in from Chile…. I know Boss, shut up,” he said with a grin and dug back into the noodles.

Coulson didn’t turn around, “Barton work with Cisco, full specs of the prison they kept him in and surrounding area, Protocol 11, free fire all targets are green.”  Barton grinned broadly at the Protocol 11, with any luck, Phil would take to the field himself and that was always fun.

0-0-0

 

“Senior Agent Coulson, you can’t do that.” Barry said as he came into medical.

The vampire’s eyes flicked to silver, and he had to steel himself not to take a step back. He knew he had to make this good, lives depend on it.

“The people that took Len, it was Team West.” He took a steadying breath as he ran his fingers nervously through his hair. “Damn it, they didn’t agree when we started to work with the Rogues. I was teaching Wally the speed force, but all he wanted to do was go after criminals. I told him he wasn’t ready. I thought they would come around. I never thought they would…..” He waved a hand in Lens direction.

“How long have you known it was this Team West?” Coulson demanded.

It was Cisco who answered stepping forward. “They didn’t know. I helped Joe and Iris set up the old STAR Lab facility and upgraded the equipment.”

“Cisco,” Barry snapped.

“It was only supposed to be a backup when the Flash was in trouble. Then Snart vanished and I knew what had happened. I deleted the feed from the camera.” He saw the shocked look on Caitlin’s face.

“I just wanted to bide some time until I could get to talk to Joe find out what happened, get them to hand Snart back. But they wouldn’t listen. The story they were telling was all wrong. Then Barry came back with him….” he trailed off.

He gave a cry of pain as Caitlin slapped him across the face leaving a red hand print. “You knew he was in the heat cell and left him there.” She shook her head, “What the hell were you thinking?”  She turned on her heels and went back to her patient to be greeted by an admiring look from Mick.

It was Coulson who broke the silence, “The first time we came here it was because the Flash nearly killed Agent Snart and now I am back here again because it is not enough to injure my asset, they tried to illegally imprison him and didn’t even understand enough to not nearly kill him with heat.” Coulson looked towards Barry, “Have I missed anything, Mr. Allen? “

“No, Agent Coulson, you haven’t missed anything else. Joe West is my foster father. He is a good man….” Barry trailed off.  He shifted his feet and then tried again. “Joe is a good cop, he believes in the letter of the law and can’t accept this alliance.”

Exhaling slowly, Barry continued, “Please we can fix this, Wally just needs guidance, please. They don’t deserve to die for this.”

“You get them here, we will talk…. “the threat was very plain to everyone who was listening.

0-0-0

Once the others had left Caitlin was finally satisfied enough to allow Mick to help Len out of the ice bath and sit him on the examination table. Using towels they dried him off as she tried to avoid meeting the two men’s eyes.

Len slide an arm round her waist and pulled her close burying his face against her shoulder, making it plain he wasn’t going to release her any time soon.

“I need to dress your wounds Len,” Caitlin said softly at the same time as she brought a hand up to cup the back of his head, “I am not going anywhere,” and brushed her lips softly across his forehead.

Slowly he released her and pulled back, his blue eyes fixed on her face as if he was trying to imprint her…. oh god he was imprinting on her. Suddenly she understood. All the times when she had been out and she had seen the two of them, scaring off a mugger, buying her food, escorting her home, caring for her.

“Ours” he breathed.

“Yours,” she said as she finally acknowledged the emotions that she had felt since the two dragons had come into her life.

She patted his face, and then with a deep breath, was all business again. “We need to get his wound dressed.”

It took both of them to get Len dressed in Star Labs sweats made all the harder by the fact the he refused to let her go, and since he had also latched onto Mick as well the three of them ended up sharing two pushed together bed in medical just so that Len would sleep.

It was 6.00 am when she woke after a surprisingly good sleep, to find that Len had turned over in his sleep and was clinging onto her. His good hand was wrapped in her sweater, as if he life depended on it.

“Right,” she breathed softly, “I can do this.”  Carefully she started to ease the sweater out of his hand not wanting to wake him up in his present condition, the more he could sleep the better.

Finally, she managed to get out of bed, leaving the two dragons sleeping. But as she looked back she was sure she saw Mick’s eyes open a slit just long enough to see what she was doing before closing them again and pulling his injured partner into his arms.

As she took her seat at her computer Barry came over putting a cup of coffee in front of her. “How is he?” the Flash asked. ?He looked like he hadn’t slept all night exhaustion was etched on his fac, but even so his concern was genuine.

 

“As well as can be expected. I am just going to check with one of my mentors, he might be able shed a bit of light on Len’s condition.”

 “Where’s Cisco?”

“He went home to get a change of clothes about an hour ago. He should be back before Team West arrive. You know he really is sorry.”

“He should be, Barry, he knew where Len was and did everything he could to stop us finding him.  The question is, is Cisco sorry about what he did or just that he got caught?”

She returned to her research checking her results on Snart against what was known about hybrid dragons. One thing had led to another and a Skype call with Dr. Miller from Guys Hospital in London took longer than she had planned, but it had confirmed some of her theories. Closing her note book, she decided to check on Snart and Rory.

0-0-0

She had only just headed into Medical when Cisco arrived back, a supersized drink in his hand. Sucking on the straw he waved to her, but she ignored him. When she reappeared she was coming out of medical like a scolded cat Snart and Rory were missing and she was furious.

Cisco asked, “What’s the matter?

“Snart and Rory are missing? How the hell could you let them just walk out of here.” She demanded, glaring at the two men.

“I thought that would have been good news.” Cisco had said with a grin and then regretted it when Caitlin had turned her furious eyes on him.

“After you caused all this don’t you dare smile,” her voice dropped to a harsh snarl, making him take a step back.

Barry asked honestly puzzled, “Why would they run? I mean Snart is sick, and I would have thought Rory would make him stay put at least until he was cleared.

Caitlin gave an angry sigh of someone badly put a upon, “Of course those idiots made a run for it. Do you honestly think that Mick is going to let Len stay here when Team West are coming. Now, I want you checking ever safehouse those pair of idiots have ever used until you find them, I expect Snart back in my medical bay and I don’t care if you have to strap him down.” She glared at Barry when he didn’t move. “Well, what are you waiting for Mister.”

“Err, nothing…” Barry backed away, then flashed off to start his search.

 

 “Cisco, I want you to run a face recognition program on all the ATM’s and traffic cameras,” again there was a hesitation, “well… are you waiting for an engraved invitation.”

Cisco shook his head and his fingers started to fly over the keyboard not daring to question her again.

But their luck was out, Snart had disappeared and Rory along with him.

Finally exhaustion crept up on her and Barry and Cisco ganged up on her to go home, promising to update her if they found out anything about the missing rogues.


	17. Team West

When Catlin came out of the lab. The sun was just breaking through the clouds and it looked like it was going to be a good day. But she couldn’t even start to enjoy it, her mind was still focused on Len and Mick. She could understand Mick getting his partner out of medical because of Team West coming in, but on the other hand he had to know that it was best for Len to stay until had at least been cleared by her. Was it because he didn’t trust her? No that didn’t make sense. After the closeness she has felt last night there was no way that was the case, there must be something more. But what?

She shook her head as she took her keys out to unlock her car just then someone called her name. She looked across the roof of the car and saw Wally, Joe and Iris heading towards the back entrance to Star Labs. Their faces looked grim and she found that she didn’t have in her to talk to them. Maybe later but not now when Len was still missing. So instead she gave them a wave of the hand and then unlocked the door and got into the car.

She gave an annoyed huff of frustration. She had loved her last car. It was a little gem then a mugger had tried to rob her and it had resulted in a warning shot that had frozen her car and then Heatwave had tried to thaw it out or so he said…… right…… and the gas tank had exploded and you try telling an insurance company that Captain Cold had frozen it and Heatwave had accidently blown it up, and see if they paid out the premium.  Central City it turned out was one of the few cities that insurance companies enforced a not only an act of god clause, but an act of superhero, supervillain clause. So, no pay out any time soon.

She found that she had no interest in what Coulson was going to do with Team West, she could learn about that later, but now she had more important things on her mind, their whereabouts of two stubborn dragons.

0-0-0-0

 

Harrison Wells Office

Senior Agent Coulson was sat at Well’s old desk when Team West came in. He closed his laptop and watched them enter he didn’t wave them to a chair.

Clint followed them in and noticed the young woman shiver  and a slight smile twitched his lips. The temperature in the room was dropping and he caught the flash of silver in Coulson’s eyes. The master vampire was very close to the surface and in response without conscious thought Clint’s fingernail elongated into claws as his wolf like canine teeth slipped down into place. His tongue flicked across his lips and he could taste their fear in the air. His smile became wider as his eyes began to glow red.

“So in such a short time I find myself back in Central City and for the same reason. You have abused and injured one of my assets again, so I find myself asking what excuse is it this time? What can you tell me which will dissuade me from having you terminated?”

 The threat at the end was more chilling because of the polite even tone that Coulson used which was scarier than if he had raised his voice. Anyone who knew Coulson knew all too well that the time to fear him was when his voice took this tone.

“Hey, mister, we were saving this city which is more than you ….” Wally said then he came to a stuttering halt when Coulson fixed him with a look.

Coulson had removed the mental cloak that allowed him to pass as human, and was giving Team West a glimpse of his true power as a Master Vampire.  For the humans it was like waking up in the middle of the night and suddenly knowing that all your nightmarish fears are true.

It was Iris that spoke, “Catching Snart was an accident. We picked up the robbery when we were monitoring and Wally went to check it out.  Snart attacked him when he was caught robbing the Museum.  My brother only protected himself and Snart, he was hurt and we….” it was a day for the West family not to finish their sentences, as one look from Coulson and she trailed off.

“Is that what happened Wally?” Coulson asked.

Wally shifted uncomfortable under Coulson’s gaze, “I knew how dangerous Snart is and Barry will never let me go against him. So I thought, well I thought.” he took a deep breath “That if I could bring Snart in I could prove to everyone that I was better than Barry.”

 

 

“You’re just as good as Barry. There was no need for you to try and prove yourself, not against that man, he’s a cold-blooded killer,” Joe shook his head, one hand rubbing at his face. “You should have told me how you felt Wally, not risked your life against that animal.”

Wally looked down, “Sorry, dad.”

Joe’s hand dropped onto Wally’s shoulder to reassure him, “When he brought Snart in I put him in the pipeline, and called a doctor I knew to look at him. I was planning on holding him until I could get together enough evidence to have him convicted.”

Wally knew at that point this had gone along for too long. He took a deep breath and cut across his father, “I am the reason that Snart was there. I sent him a message from Barry asking him to meet me at the Museum…… I hit him before he knew what was happening and threw him through the glass exhibit ……… He was injured. Then when I saw what had happened I told Dad that he had attacked me first. I knew that whatever he said Dad wouldn’t believe him. That is the truth Agent Coulson. It was all my fault, Dad and Iris never knew.” He turned towards Joe, “Dad I am sorry I lied, I just lost control, got scared and panicked and Snart nearly died because of it. I am so sorry.”

Joe stepped forward, drawing his son close “What can we do to put this right?”

 “Detective West, I have looked at your CCPD jacket. You’re a good police officer and from what your Captain said an honest and compassionate one. Yet you condoned putting my asset into a cell in your own private prison that nearly killed him and from what I understand this is not the first time you have condoned something like this I am referring to your time with Team Flash and the Ferris Air incident.”

“Snart and Rory are Agents SHIELD. Since our last meeting they have been instrumental in removing threats that could have resulted in interdimensional breaches that would have seen Central City and Keystone devastated with massive loss of life. They have also fought alongside the Flash and yet  you called him an animal, and  due to your son’s arrogance, and that is what it was, Agent Snart nearly died.

This time Detective you keep your badge. But Team West is on probation for the next three years during that time you will operate from STAR Labs Cortex, overseen by my agents. If you break the probation then you will find out just what SHIELD is capable of. There will be no second chances, and you will not like what I do.”

Joe looked at Wally and Iris, and then nodded, “We have an understanding Agent Coulson, but I do have to say one thing. All we have ever wanted to do is protect this city. At one time you could do it with a shield and a gun, now it’s super powers and weapons that I could never have dreamt of outside of science fiction. Mistakes were made and we will learn from them.”

“I am sure you will. But it seems that other people suffer while you learn. Coulson said and then continued, “Put your house in order Detective West and speak to Team Flash as you will be working with them. I would also suggest that you…….” he looked pointy at Wally, apologize to Agent Snart.”

“But…..” Wally started to say.

Coulson cut across him, “See, you don’t learn, and that is what will kill you. Arrogance, stupidity and youth are the perfect ingredients for an early death. Apologize and you might live long enough to make a difference.”

Just as they were about to leave he asked. “Did you speak to the Arrow about Hawk, after our last meeting?”

Joe halted and turned back, “Barry spoke to the Arrow, he didn’t tell us a lot of what was said just the that Hawk,” he looked at Barton, “was a black op assassin and better than him. Barry give me the impression that it hurt the Arrow to say that. “

 “That, Detective West is something that if you’re lucky you and your team will never find out.”

Once Team West had left Coulson looked at Barton thoughtfully, “Your view, Agent Barton.”

“Arrogance can get you killed, and that kid is well on his way to an early grave. Might still be depending on Snart when he’s fit and to be honest I can’t blame him if he does take action.”

Coulson looked thoughtful, “But I think that Dr Snow may be a deciding factor in that.” He paused, “Victor is on his way back from his mission in Alaska, have control divert him. I want Snart and Rory on a downtime, while their trio establishes.”

“Boss, you think that Doc Snow knows about it yet?” He grinned happily, remembering all too well the complicated dance he had had to claim his own mate crossing the Vampire and Werewolf divide and then adding Natasha to the mix.

“No. But nature needs time to take its course. We need someone to ride herd on Team West in the short term and given the number of meta criminals it should give Victor enough opportunity for recreational violence to keep him happy. Oh, and Clint, warn those young men about Lady Bird. I would rather Victor not decorate the Cortex with their guts.”

“Oh, happy days Boss,” Clint said with a grin he and the kitty cat were going to have so much fun.


	18. The Lady and the dragons

SHIELD Flight 9134

 

Agent Kate “Lady Bird” Hall was working on her Stark phone, one of the perks of being a member of SHIELD was you got all the latest tech. She looked up at the loud bang as her partner dropped his go bag heavily on the table. His large frame took up most of the couch opposite her, his booted feet landed on the table with a thud as he leaned back arms folded behind his head with a fanged smirk.

Just then another agent quickly thrust a slip of paper at him.  “Victor?” she made his name a question when she heard the low growling rumbling from deep in his chest.

“The Vamp wants us in Central City,” he snarled, his clawed hand deeply scoring the arm rest.

She gave a sigh but then couldn’t help smiling, “Mom and Dad are visiting my sister in Central today. I think I can still catch them before they leave, so maybe I can meet up with them.”  Kate said, then hesitated to see what Victor was going to say.

He looked up from where he was studying his claws to look at her intensely.  “Never met you parent’s frail, they good to you?”  The alarm bells went off in her head. She knew of his own abusive childhood which although it was over 150 years ago, still colored the way he viewed family life. 

“Yes” she put in quickly and firmly, making sure to keep eye contact with him so there was no mistake.

“Then I can’t see why not, frail.” He said as he waved her over to him. She closed her phone down and moved over to him. Reaching out he pulled her down, so that she was straddling his thighs. He ran powerful clawed hands up and down her back checking her out, a possessive act that he did after each mission. She leaned forward as he cupped the back of her head and drew her down against him, one arm wrapped round her waist holding her in place as he nuzzled her throat and hair, inhaling her scent.

This was their bonding time. Victor was a feral alpha mutant and among the apex predators, and he liked people to know who she belonged too.  

0-0-0

Meanwhile  Central City

Caitlin pulled up outside of her apartment. It was in a rent-controlled area that was in the middle of being gentrified and would in a few years be an up and coming area. Instead of risking the old elevator she took the stairs and was half way along the hall way to her apartment when Mrs. Collins the elderly lady, opened her door and looked out.

“Morning Mrs Mason.”

“Dr. Snow, out all night, I expected better of you.” the woman said with a tutting then closed her door. Caitlin shook her head, the woman was a law to her own and seemed to pride herself on keeping track of everyone on the floors coming and goings.  Well at least she hadn’t tried to drag her into her apartment for a session on her latest ailments. No matter how many times she had tried to tell the old woman she was a research scientist and not a GP. The woman wouldn’t listen.

She had just come through the front door when she was grabbed and pulled back against a hard body. Her scream was silenced by a hand clamped over her mouth. She started to struggle but a gruff, masculine voice sounded in her ear.

 “Sorry doll, didn’t want to startle you.” Mick released his hold on her and allowed her to step back from him.

“And what do you call that?” She snapped, her hand batting at his chest, as she took a deep breath and shivered, it was cold in the apartment what had happened to the …? it was then she saw the ice on the walls and frost coating the inside of her widows, and her words trailed off.

In the far corner of the apartment, Len was sat on the floor. A throw from her bed was pulled round him and he was rocking back and forward, his face pressed against it.

Mick crossed over to him and went down onto his knees, “it’s okay, Boss, Doc’s here now let’s get you back onto the couch.”

 

Snart tilted his head so that he could look at his partner, his movement was slow and sluggish as he shook his head.

 

 “Had to let the ice out.”

 

“Sure, you did, Len, and the Doc don’t mind, Do you Doc.”

 

“Of course not.”  She smiled as she knelt in front of him. She noticed that his blue eyes were now slit like a cat and that she could see dark blue and white scales on his throat disappearing down into the sweat shirt. All she did was try to move so that she was more comfortable because she had the feeling she was in for a long morning, when Len’s hand snapped out and caught her wrist. With a hissing snarl she was pulled she against him grunting in pain as she landed on him.  His other arm wrapped round her waist as he buried his face against her neck and inhaled her scent. She shivered at the cold he was generating. But didn’t pull away, as the hissing became a distressed trilling noise.

 

“Mick, I don’t know what I am doing?” She said as she began to run a hesitant but reassuring hand up and down Len’s back all the time holding him close.

 

“You’re doing just fine Doll, let me go and get some food. See if we can get him to eat something.”

 

When he returned, he had a plate of raw steak which was cut into very thin strips. He sat down close by and put the plate on the floor. He took a couple of pieces and then nodded to Cait to do the same for Len.

 

Carefully changing her position making sure he didn’t think that she was running away. She picked up some of the steak and then held it so that he could eat it from her hand. Lifting her other hand, she lightly stroked the back of his head, feeling something inside of her stretching and her breath caught as he rubbed his face against her hand, Mick curled around her……. There was a connection between the three of them. What she had felt before when they had shared a bed in medical was muted compared to what happening now. It was then she remembered the word she had spoken to reassure him, “Yours” it had seemed the right thing to say. Now she understood and she marveled that she didn’t feel frightened. It was as if something had filled that empty space in her life that Ronnie’s death had left.

 

Mick brought her attention back to the present when he spoke, his gruff voice soft, “Len’s Pa use to beat on him, if he showed his wings. If you asked he might do it now.”

 

“Len, please let your wings out, I don’t like to think of you hurting,”  

 

 “Yeah…. see Boss, Cait don’t mind the ice and she don’t mind your wings.”  

 

It almost broke Cait heart when she saw the look that Len gave her.

 

“Let me help you, Len.”

 

Reaching out she slowly eased the sweat shirt off him, and then ran her hands soothingly over his back, gently rubbing between his shoulder blades over the areas where the wings would come from.   “Mick, if you release your wings maybe Len will do the same.” She leaned over him, so her face was against his “It’s alright Len, please.”

 

Mick slipped out of his jacket and shirt and then his wings burst out of his back with a crack and then there was a second crack and a muffled cry of pain as Len buried his face against Cat’s shoulder.

 

Instead of wings there was distorted hacked bones. Mick knelt, his arms round Len and Cait, as his wings wrapped around them so that both were shielded.

 

How long they sat together she didn’t know, but finally she had coaxed Len to eat all the strips of meat and the temperature was slowly returning to normal.

 

Len didn’t fight it when Mick eased him to his feet and guided him into the bedroom sitting him on the edge of the bed. Cait came in with her bag and quickly checked him over, with warm water she washed away the thin clear liquid that had oozed out from his back when the bony structure of his wings had broken out of his skin. Thankfully her stitches were still holding.

 

She helped Mick help him lay down on her bed and pulled the blankets over him, going to the bathroom she undressed putting on the large t-shirt and the baggy sweat pants she slept in and slide in next to him. If she had read the report correctly Len would sleep more soundly if she and Mick were with him. He was in an exhausted state, running on instinct.

 

Carefully Cait curled round him as he lay on his stomach allowing his horribly mutilated wings to fold onto his back.  This way he could feel the warmth of her body pressed against his side and the soft gentle touch of her hand as she stroked it down from his neck over the scales. Mick climbed in on the other side draping one wing across them both, making gruff throaty sounds which Len replied to with a low sad trilling sound.

 

She decided there and then that she would call in sick and spend the day with the two dragons. There was a lot she had to find out and in the back of her mind there was an idea beginning to form. She tucked her face carefully against Len’s shoulder making sure not to press against the wounds and the cruelly hacked wings.

 

Just before her eyes closed she said softly, “His father.”

 

“Dead Doc, burning in hell, the key word is burning.”

 

“Did you do it?”

 

“Yeah”

 

“Good,” just one word but the emotion behind it made Mick preen and rumble in pleasure.

 

0-0-0

 

At the same time.

 

Kate Hall entered the Hub. She was five seven, with dark hair twisted up in a bun with a couple of pencils sticking through it and a pair of glasses perched on her nose. The black leather jacket she wore had the black on black shield logo on the shoulder. Her shirt, slacks and trainers where black, over her shoulder she had a messenger bag. Her face lit up the moment she saw Clint Barton.

 

“Hi Hawk,”

 

“Birdy,” he drawled back, his rather intimidating resting face changing into a grin.

 

“Has Victor arrive yet? He took off as soon as we landed.”

 

“Not yet. You’re going to have to keep the Kitty Kat on a short leash. There are some guys here that he would shred in a heartbeat.”

 

0-0-0

 

Noon

 

Snow’s apartment

 

Cait woke up and found herself in Len’s arms. He must have turned over in his sleep and was wrapped round her doing a very good impression of an octopus. His face was pressed against the junction of her shoulder and her neck which by the look of it seem to be his preferred sleeping position. When she tried to move. He made a sleepy growling noise and clung on tighter, so she stilled frightened of aggravating his injuries.

 

Mick, she realized was missing. His absence was solved a few minters later when she heard saucepans rattling in the kitchen.

 

Caitlin couldn’t help but think how having Mick Rory in her kitchen and Leonard Snart in her bed felt so right it had all started months ago. Some people might have called it stalking but she had never felt frightened even when it was Heatwave and Captain Cold doing it.

 

The first time had been in the Charthouse Inn.

 

Caitlin Snow sat at the table and stared down at the drink the ice melting, she gave a heartfelt sigh. It hadn’t been her idea to go on the date but Iris West like all good friends had decided to spread her hard won happiness by getting her a date.

 

Peter Eden was the perfect date according to Iris, good looking and entertaining.

But it had gone wrong right from the start, the man was an opiniated idiot. He didn’t believe that Meta humans should be treated as people and that was just scratching the surface. She was puzzled as to how Iris could think that he was the perfect match for her. Oh, they would have words tomorrow.

 

After what she said to Peter the man had dumped her and left her stranded at the Inn. Now how was she going to get home.

 

It was then she started as the chair next to her was pulled out, she looked up and  saw Mick Rory sit down, then looking up she saw Snart stood there, she patted the other seat “Take a seat Cold.”  

 

“If your going to kidnap me, I am not in the mood.” She said dryly

 

“That’s rather cold of you doctor we made a deal not to target Barry’s friends and family, and we are men of our word.”

 

“I would believe that more Snart, if you didn’t smirk when you said that.” She made a point of peering at him at pointy, “and putting your hand over your heart is a real diva move.”

 

To the day she died she would blame the four gin and tonics for the fact that she high fived a very amused Heatwave.

 

By the time it came time to leave the bar, she had seen a new side to both of them.

Snart had a killer dark sense of humor delivered in a dry Central City slum drawl which perfectly complimented Rory. She could understand why the two men were partners. 

Mick drained his beer, “Fuck the bomb doll, don’t see why you take it personally? it wasn’t going to kill you.”

“Mick,” Caitlin “I was sat on a bomb, I could have been killed.”

He slammed his beer bottle down, “I allowed enough time for an overweight pig and that nerd to save you.  Not my fault the Flash didn’t do it.” He got up and stamped off to the bar.

Caitlin’s mouth dropped open, “He’s really upset.”

“Mick likes you. He was the one that picked you he shows his affection with fire.”

“So, the bomb was him flirting?”

“You could say.” Len tapped her glass with a fingertip and the glass frosted up.

Caitlin suddenly gave a chuckle, “Why do I give the feeling this isn’t stalking Snart” she paused” Len,”…. trying the name out, and was greeted with a smile that lacked the normal smirk.

Mick came back with a new beer and a drink for them. Caitlin, looked at Len and then turned back to the resident pyro, “Cisco worked on the bomb afterwards and he said that it was a very well made….   Err thank you.”

She couldn’t help but smile as Mick all but preened at the compliment.

Of course, she hadn’t known then what she knew now. Those

Just then Mick walked into the bedroom with a tray of amazing smelling food.

 

First meeting…… They were dates. The dragons had been courting her.

 

“Morning Doc. Thought you might be hungry and didn’t want to disturb Len.”

 

She smiled “What did you make?”

 


	19. Victor Creed

The Cortex

 

Barry came in from the locker room rubbing his hair dry and leaving the towel hanging round his neck.

 

“Who’s that?” He asked Cisco as he looked with interest at the young woman seated at one of the computer terminals working.

 

It was Clint who answered, “That gentlemen is Agent Kate Hall, SHIELD tech communications specialist,” looking at the avid interest the two younger man had in Birdy, he grinned. This was going to be interesting.

 

He continued, “Kate and her partner are going to be monitoring you until Coulson can get a long-term team in.” 

 

Clint tilted his head slightly and caught the scent, going smoothly to his feet. He catched the arms of the two younger men as they began to head towards her, and pulled them to one side. “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one,” at that moment Victor came into the hub.

 

“Creed,”

 

“Barton,” the big man growled, “Where’s the Vamp?”

 

“In the office,” Clint favored him with a grin.

 

Turning back to the younger men, Clint seeing their expression added “guppy fish at feeding time,” he paused “That is Agent Hall’s partner, Agent Creed.”

 

“He’s a meta” Barry said.

 

Clint shook his head, “you boys think one way only. Haven’t you learnt yet there are meta’s, inhuman, supernatural, legends, and last but not least mutants. Creed is a mutant with feral characteristics which means, boys that if you mess with his partner, he will gut you and eat your innards. He’s a tad on the possessive side.”

 

Creed paused at the door to the office and favored them with a smirk that showed his long fangs, and when he reached a hand out the long razor-sharp claws were another reminder.

 

“And he has excellent hearing.”   Clint added helpfully.

 

Creed entered the office as the doors open  Clint following him in, tapping the young woman on the shoulder in a silent invite to come with him.

 

The door closed with a silent hiss, as Coulson greeted them

 

“Creed, Hall.” He nodded.

 

Clint moved into his usual position just off to one side of Coulson. He was not only a Master Assassin he,  along with Natasha was Coulson’s partner and bodyguard. Just because the man was a Master Vampire didn’t mean that he couldn’t die.

 

Victor Creed dropped his bag on the floor and then laid his sniper rifle across the table, “what the fuck Coulson? what the hell we are doing here?”

 

“Creed,” the warning was in Coulson’s voice as it went subzero. His eyes changing as his fangs elongated as he leaned forward in his chair, razor sharp nails sliding from his fingertips, all pretense of humanity vanishing in a heartbeat.

 

The mutants hand shot out and caught Kate by the arm and pulling her behind him as he faced off his boss. Hunching forward he flexed his claws at the same time as Clint changed into his hybrid form.

 

Kate swore under her breath and placed her hands on her partners back, “Victor please,” then stepping round her protective partner, “Senior Agent Coulson, Sir, the mission was more difficult than had been expected and our break was promised. You know that Agent Creed has to decompress.”

 

Coulson hissed, and Kate suppressed a shudder. No matter how many times she heard it, that hiss on the in breath always scared the hell out of her.

 

“Things do not always run true to course Agent Hall. This assignment is important as it concerns two of our own, Agents Snart and Rory.”

 

“What the fuck are the dragons up too? Boss.” Creed pulled his claws back in.

 

Coulson eased back into the chair and waved them to a seat with his razor sharp long finger nails.

 

Clint was the last to revert to his fully human form, Kate noted. But when you got two alphas together and one of them was feral it was always going to be times when emotions ran high and it would verge on an old fashion pissing contest. But as usual they pulled back, when she was there.

 

“I would not have pulled you from your break. I am quite aware of your needs Agent Creed. But in this case we do have need of your skills. The meta humans in Central City are in the middle of a war against Team Flash and West. Due to the stupidity of Team West, Agent Snart was nearly killed, and is currently healing and bonding with his partners. In the meantime I need someone to run herd on Team West and to help out.”

 

 

“Terminate with extreme prejudiced” Creed said quoting the old wet work CIA creed.

 

“Try to bring them in alive if possible. But your main concern is to protect the citizens of Central City, oh and Creed, Don’t kill Team West or Flash, no matter how they piss you off.”

 

Creed just smiled. “I’ll try.”

 


	20. The Lady Bird and the Sabertooth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a young woman, a mistake in hacking leads to a whole new career and the most dangerous of partners, and the doctor gains a family.

Snow’s Apartment

 

Cait sat with her back against the headboard snacking on the food Mick had brought.

Len had slipped down so that his head was now on her lap one arm wrapped round her waist. She dropped a hand down petting him when he moved and then settled.

 

“I did some reading and if I am wrong, no harms done, but am I your treasure?”

 

Mick grinned, “You’ve been that from the start Doc.”

 

Len yawned and snuggled under her arm.

 

Mick watched amused to see Len allowing her to fuss him. Normally trying to help Len when he was sick or hurt was to be shot. But in the Cortex that first time he had allowed Cait to give him water, to clean and dress his wounds and here he had released his wings for her and allowed her to feed him. Their treasure in human form, their mate, Dr. Snow. “

 

0-0-0

 

STAR Labs

 

Kate was getting her computer linked to both the Cortex and SHIELD central, but at the same time keeping an eye on her partner, Victor Creed. Sabretooth was a dangerous man and his temper was deadly.

 

It was hard for her to think that she had been working with him for three years now. It had all started when she had taken a gap year between High School and University. She had been 18 and full of ideals. One of which had ended up with her hacking Stark Industries for a splinter group her would be-boyfriend ran.

 

She had been arrested and taken away by a pair of Feds in a blacked-out SUV. They hadn’t answered any of her questions, just taken her to some unknow destination. Once they arrived she was manhandled out of the vehicle and taken through stark white corridors into an office.

 

Seated behind the desk was a man in his late forties to early fifties, dressed in a black suit and tie that made him look like an accountant. The other agents had pushed her into a seat opposite him and then he had dismissed them.

“Katherine “Kate” Hall” aged 18, former High School Student on a gap year before starting university.” He smiled at her pleasantly, then his voice got colder, as he added “Pity, shame, not going to happen.”  

She gave a gasp as she saw his fangs. The slight flash of them that sent a shiver down her spine, and fear settled like a heavy lead weight in her stomach.

“You’re a mutant,” her voice was a scared whisper.

“No Kate, I am vampire, and my associate, Agent Barton, is a Werewolf. We are the Dark Side of SHIELD” He nodded towards the man in black stood near the door, making her jump as she hadn’t heard him come in.  “We make sure the Supernatural, Mutants and Inhuman obey the law. If they brake it we make sure that it’s last thing they ever do. You are an expert hacker and since it would be a waste for you to sit in prison I can offer you a deal.”

Kate said, “I would get probation I….” that was as far as she got.

“No Katie,” Coulson drawled, “When you hacked Stark Industries you penetrated a Security level which was deemed to have potentially endangered national security , that would lead to 20 years in prison.”

Kate could feel the color draining from her face. “But I never…..” she trailed off as with a sickening jolt she understood how much trouble she was in.

“But the Red King said….” she tried to explain then stuttered to a halt at the look Coulson gave her as he shook his head and asked.

“So are you interested in joining SHIELD or should we continue you journey to holding?”

 

Kate bit her lip. She was about to insist on her lawyer as she had seen in the films but something told her that Coulson would have an answer for that.

“How long would I have to work for SHIELD?”

“Good kid, that’s the first sensible thing you’ve said since you came in.” Barton drawled,

Coulson gave a huff of annoyance “Eight years. But with an option to continue if you wish.” Coulson looked towards the other man and there was a slight tug of a smile on his lips “you might not think it now, but Agent Barton was in you place once and he’s still with us.”

“Yeah right,” Kate muttered under her breath.

0-0-0

One year later

She was seated in the control op van, shivering with cold, typing away on a keyboard. She brought up the information that the handler was requesting, already his asset had had to deviate from the mission twice which meant that she was kept busy.

Glancing across at Agent Maxwell she couldn’t help but compare him unfavorably with Coulson. She had worked with him for the first six months and had soon learned that he was in a league of his own and hearing him on the radio with Agent Barton had been an education in its self. Maxwell had made it clear from the minute she stepped in the van that she was a last-minute replacement for a much better tech, and she should  keep her mouth shut unless he asked for data.

His asset was already in place when she had arrived so she had never seen him. The first time she had heard the hash hoarse voice come over the radio she had felt a shiver go down her back and then a hot flush that made the sweat bead on her forehead. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

She jumped as the loud crack of gunfire came over the radio followed by screams of fear and pain, and the roaring of a great cat, then a deathly silence, except for heavy breathing. A few minutes later the harsh voice was back “Where’s the fucking exit two and four are brown.”

Maxwell snapped at her “You heard the man. Data sweep for exit five.”

Suddenly there was a loud explosion and the control van rocked violently, Maxwell slumped forward and then onto the floor, his blood splattering the walls of the van. Kate found herself on the floor her arm hurting and blood running down her face. Her head was ringing. She crawled over to Maxwell as gun shots peppered the side of the van. She stifled a scream as his blood-stained hand caught her wrist and pulled her close blood bubbled from his lips. “Get the hell out of here kid, take the backup comms and take exit three. “

“But the agent?”

“Forget him…………, escape exit……… three.” He used his grip to pull himself up, “get out…………. now.” His grip suddenly faltered as he made a gurgling hacking sound and his body fell back down onto the floor.

Getting out of the control van was hard work, as another explosion rocked it. She used the floor escape panel and crawled out all the time smelling petrol. She was just clear when another explosion sent it up in flames blowing her down into a ditch.  She kept crawling when she heard the horse voice in her ear from the emergency set she carried.

 

“Exit 5 is…”

Taking a deep breath, she spoke quickly keeping her voice down as in the background she could hear people approaching the burning control van.

“Exit 5 is blown sir, exit three is the only one still open.”

“Cut the sir crap, who the fuck is this?”

“Comms, Ladybird, Sir, your handler is dead.”

She winced at the snarled words.  “Birdy exit 3,” he drawled dismissing her news of his head handler without a pause.

“Yes, that is still clear but Hydra is moving towards it from the south.”

Kate couldn’t suppress a shudder at his chuckle. The next three hours she spent heading to Exit 3 avoiding Hydra troops but at the same time she got an over whelming feeling that there was something out there some sort of predator stalking her.

 It was with great relief that she saw the SHIELD jet waiting for her. The recovery team rushed out and manhandled her aboard the door shutting behind them. “The asset he’s still out there we have to wait for him!” She exclaimed.

“No Agent, we get the hell out of here now.”

Just as he said that there was a loud banging on the side of the Quinjet and then the sound of claws ripping into the metal and the scream of a large predator only fading as the Quinjet cleared the trees.

“What the hell was that?” Kate demanded.

“Speak to Senior Agent Coulson,” The medic told her, refusing to meet her gaze.

 “Well, do you at least know who the asset was? …. I thought I would check up on him when I…..” She ground to a halt when the men with her exchanged a look and one glanced at the door to the Quinjet.

But they wouldn’t be drawn in to answer any of her other questions.

0-0-0

Once the Quinjet landed she was hurried off and into medical. She was just about to leave when the alarms went off bathing the hallways in red lighting. Heavily armed Agents rushed past her heading towards the Quinjet landing area.

As she continued two agents arrived to escort her to Coulson’s office. “Am I under arrest?” she asked, worried suddenly that she had done something wrong. Surely she couldn’t have been blamed for leaving the asset behind. Perhaps that creature got him, she knew they shouldn’t have left him. Maybe she should have done more.

“Not that we know of Agent Hall, we are here to make sure that you get to his office. We have a rogue agent on the loose.”

It was then she heard the growl. Spinning round she saw a man in black tactical uniform. He ran towards them then dropped down onto all fours and began to bound down the corridor. The security guard snapped at her “Run!” then turned back and began to fire. She saw the man hit the side of the wall and then bounced off it and up before he hit the opposite wall and then back down again. The security guard saw that she wasn’t moving and gave her a hard push, “Run! you stupid bitch run!

Kate ran and it was when she heard the screams, she didn’t dare look back. At the elevator she began to punch the buttons, “Open, open.”  She could hear the pounding of feet “please open.” Just then it did, and she threw herself in and then pushed the button for the door to close .

She saw the man throwing himself towards the door all claws and teeth. But luckily it slammed shut on him, She heard the impact and then the elevator was  rocketing up the shaft

When the door opened. She looked around the corner carefully to see if  the hallway was clear. The place was in lock down. She hurried to Coulson’s office and pounded on the door, breathing a sigh of relief when it opened, and she all but tumbled in.

“Take a seat Kate,” Coulson said as he handed her a cup of coffee “I am sorry that this had to happen like this, but Agent Creed is rather impulsive.”

“Agent Creed?”

“Your asset?”

“Mine? I don’t understand, Sir.”

“It appears you made quite an impact on Agent Creed. Creed is a feral mutant and he has bonded with you. We hoped that by evacuating your out of his way that it might have alleviated the situation, but it seems that it merely increased his need. “

“That thing was….” She trailed off.

Just then there was a hammering on the door, “Barton, if you’re ready?”

Kate jumped. She had been so scared she hadn’t noticed Agent Barton in the room until he stepped out from the corner. Her breath caught in her throat. She knew he was a werewolf, but it was the first time she had seen him like this.

Barton’s was just under seven-foot-tall. He was walking on powerful hind legs bent backwards at the knee and felt her blood run cold, he was a thing of nightmares.

Coulson knock on the door release and Agent Victor Creed entered.

 “Oh shit,” she breathed.

Creed all but matched Barton in height and built with dark closely cropped hair and stubble on his face he looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. The moment he spoke she recognized the hoarse voice. It was the asset.

“Names Creed, frail,” he clocked his head slightly on the side.

Coulson pressed the comm, “Have security stand down. I have the situation in hand,” he ordered then leaning back in his chair.

“Agent Hall, Agent Creed, I believe you have already met.”  Coulson said.

Creed tilted his head slightly as he studied  her from head to toe. She could feel the heat flushing her face. “She’s a cub Coulson. What the fuck are you doing putting a cub in the field with that asshole Maxwell?” he accused.

“Agent Hall is an excellent hacker. She was acting as support tech on your mission. It is thanks to her that you got out.”

 Creed turned back to her and she instantly took a step back to get out of his reach.

 “The cubs got nothing to fear from me. But I don’t like people keeping us apart”

Kate found her voice, “I was told that you had bonded with me Agent Creed, I don’t believe that”

He turned back to her with that tilt of the head and smile that made a shiver go down her spine. He openly scented her but she refused to look away. There was no way she was going to be prey to him.

“Agent Hall deserves an answer Creed.” Coulson said.

“I’ve been looking for my mate, Hall, and you’re her, but you’re just a  cub, my cub, which gives you five years to decide what you want,” His lips quirked into a smile that showed his long canine teeth, “or you can learn how to kill me.”

 

Creed reached out to her and Barton growled low and deep throated, a warning. Creed pulled back and smiled at the werewolf, “You think you can take me down, Baron?”

Clint moved forward, “Even you can’t survive decapitation Creed. Remember that,” Coulson said.

“I have things to discuss with Agent Hall, your dismissed Agent Creed.”

“Sir,” Creed snarled and then left, only then did Kate let out a shaky breath.

It was after that that Agent Victor Creed became her personal headache, who turned stalking into an art form.

She had found out that Creed had first met Coulson 110 years ago when the Senior Agent had been working as an enforcer for the Vampire Council. So the two men had serious history together.  Coulson had confirmed that Creed was a feral alpha, and that brought with it its own problems. She had been made to sit down and read his complete file complied by more alphabet agencies than she knew had existed. She had been pale and shaking when she had finished. She had wanted to run then but in her heart she knew that Creed would hunt her down.

From the file she had learned that Victor Creed was intelligent, a highly skilled mercenary soldier and elite assassin as well as a cold blooded psychopathic killer with a reputation for sheer ruthlessness, which was hard to stomach. His speed and reflexes were inhumanly fast, his fangs were tiger-like and he had claws on his hands and feet, which like his teeth he could retract at will which has earned his code name Sabretooth. He also had enhanced healing which meant that after he had reached his prime in the late 1880’s he hadn’t aged a day so he was pretty much immortal.

Kate arrived at Coulson’s office after her reading marathon and he took one look at her and waved her to a set.

“I can imagine you’re here about Creed?”

“Yes Sir, with all respect, I have questions. “

“Being partnered with Creed I can understand that. So, what would you like to know?”

“Agent Creed was calling me his cub, I don’t understand.”

“I have spoken to his brother.” He saw the surprised look, “His younger brother is Logan known as Wolverine. “

“He’s an X-man.”

“Exactly. He said that Creed has you designated as a cub, and that is the safest thing to be. A cub can get away with saying and doing things that would get an adult killed and eaten.”

She felt her stomach clench. She had read bits in his files about cannibalism, but somehow, she had hopped it was wrong.

“He really has eaten people.” She took a deep breath.

“You read the reports.” Coulson was watching her very carefully.

“I know, it’s just hard to believe.  Sorry, Sir.”   

“Logan explained that Cubs are to be protected and tolerated so you will be safe in the eye of the storm that is Victor Creed.  He also asked how old you were. I told him, and he said that when you are 25, you will be considered a mature female by Victor, and will be subjected to some intense feral courting, as he sees you as his mate.”

“What…. I thought he said we would be bonded,” she put her hands to her face, “of course a mate, bonded all the same thing it’s just the wording is different.”

“His mate Agent Hall.” Coulson had given her a ghost of smile, cats bring the humans they love dead mice, with Creed that was going to translate into the dead bodies of America’s most wanted when he starts courting you.”

“I don’t suppose my contract with SHIELD will be over by them.”

“No but I believe we can build in an exit strategy if it’s needed. In the meantime I think that you should be trained to act as he handler. That will keep him calmer if he had you with him and I believe that you have the talent to do that job.”

Just then she came back to the present with a start as the alarm went off. There was a rush of air and the Flash and Kid Flash stood in front of her.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard, as she began to sieve through the date coming in, as Cisco was throwing it up onto the screen.

“You will meet Agents Creed and Barton at the source of the disturbance, you will not engage until then.”  She told them, “The police are on route but they’re going to need your help.”

Wally shot a look at Barry and then started forward only to vibrate in the air as Creed caught him by the throat. None of them had heard him come in.

“Stand still West or he’ll drive his claws through your throat.” Coulson said almost matter of factly as he walked in from the office.

Wally stilled in the deadly grip, breathing harshly.

Coulson moved into the center of the Cortex ignoring him, “Lady Bird, I want a run down, now.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Fire and Ice but not our Agents,” she said as she tapped into the raw information that Cisco was bringing up. “Not even their weapon signature, the ice is no way near absolute zero, and the heat gun, no wave affects. We have a couple of copy cats.”

“Creed, Barton on site, Allen with them.”  Coulson paused “West take a seat.” He added as Creed released Wally and he hit the floor with a thud.

“Well gentlemen, what are you waiting for.” He allowed himself a ghost of a smile. “Oh, and Creed I want them alive and breathing.”

Creed gave a rumbling growl and then strode out with Barton at his side and Barry following with a worried look on his face.

“Err …. Guys, Guys…” he gave a whistle as he saw the sniper rifle thrown over Creeds shoulder, then looked at Barton “a bow, really? Arrow said…….” Then he hurried after them still firing off questions.

0-0-0

2 Days later.

Snows Apartment

Caitlin was sat with Leonard Snart’s head on her lap his body curled up on the couch, she reached over and tugged the throw round him and ran a soothing hand over his head.  He was finally on the mend. Mick had done the right thing and got him out of medical, she understood that now.

Just like she understood the way that Len liked to curl round her like some over grown snow leopard. He was all but purring.

Both men considered her apartment to be their new safe house, their first true nest. Looking across the room Mick was working on his heat gun, checking and cleaning it, pausing only to take a swallow of his beer.

Her dragons…. Mick a fire dragon, Leonard an ice dragon……her dragons, a feeling of contentment swept through her.

Sometime later there was a knock on the door. Mick waved her to a seat and picking up the heat gun moving to cover the door as he opened it slightly, then stepping aside to let their visitor in before quickly closing it behind them.

Caitlin recognized the woman from pictures she had seen Lisa Snart. The other woman went immediately to her brother, and then reaching out her hand gently stroked his face. “Hey, Jerk face,” her voice showing a tenderness that few ever heard.

Leonards eyes opened, “Hi train wreck,” he said fondly.

“Doctor Snow,” Lisa said, “so you finally came around.  I got to thinking they would never make a move on you. There’s only so much moping a girl can put up with before she decides to kick some sibling ass.”

“No need for that.  It worked out,” Catlin said as Len sat up a little more but instead of moving away it was only to get more comfortable leaning against her shoulder. He was not ready yet to leave her.

“It looks like your part of the family now Doctor.”

“Caitlin,” she interrupted the other woman, my name is Caitlin, sister.”

 

The End

 


End file.
